


Mobius

by Miko no da (Miko)



Category: Fushigi Yuugi
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-01-01
Updated: 2000-01-01
Packaged: 2018-03-05 06:23:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 13
Words: 58,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3109367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miko/pseuds/Miko%20no%20da
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chichiri and Tasuki have been reborn in the modern world, and must discover one another all over again, while struggling to recall their past lives and prevent a disaster beyond imagining.</p><p>(Posting OLD fics from my defunct website)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The two boys seated on the hard wooden chairs before the principal's desk were the picture of juvenile delinquency. Though the chairs were designed to be uncomfortable, they somehow managed to lounge negligently in them. Their school uniforms were disheveled, the shirts untucked and ties undone. One, his black hair dyed a distinctly non-regulation dark blue, had a deep scar on his left cheek which gave him a dangerous look. The other, obviously a gaijin, had flaming red hair down to his waist, tied back in a messy ponytail, jagged bangs falling into his face. A half-smirk revealed oddly elongated canines, giving him the look of a lazy wolf.

Both boys were handsome, in a lanky, dangerous way. They were quite obviously not intimidated by the fierce glare currently being directed their way by the principal, a short, overweight, balding little man in a tweed suit.

"I hope both you boys understand the seriousness of your situation," the principal intoned, his voice harsh and nasal. "Your parents have chosen to accept the option the courts gave them to send you here, rather than to juvenile hall. This school is a reform school, and believe me, we're used to dealing with far worse than you little brats could ever come up with." He sneered at them, his hands steepled before him. "However tough you street punks may think you are, we're tougher. You WILL be taught discipline in this facility."

Both teens contrived to look bored, the redhead even going so far as to deliberately stifle a yawn behind one hand. The principal snorted. "Your little tricks and attitudes will have no effect here, I assure you. Look bored all you like. Just remember. Your parents have given us legal guardianship of you, and that gives us the right to do whatever is necessary to straighten you out. Kizeki!" He raised his voice, and a pretty secretary poked her head in.

"Hai, Kouchou-sensei?" She asked in a breathy voice.

"These boys are new to our establishment. Please see them to their rooms, and make certain they have their class schedule and a list of the standing rules and regulations."

"Hai, Kouchou-sensei!" She bowed and gestured into the hallway. "If you will follow me, please?"

The two boys glanced at one another, some silent communication passing between them. As one, they shrugged and stood, moving to the door. Neither moved to bow to the Kouchou as they left.

To their surprise, they found their way blocked by the pretty secretary. "You must pay your respects, boys," she informed them with a sweet smile.

"Ch'. Why should I? I don't respect him, so why should I give lip service to it?" The redhead remarked, his voice disdainful.

"You will pay your respects," Kizeki insisted, her mouth firming.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, jo-chan," the boy with a scar on his cheek gave a perfunctory bow in the principal's general direction, then tugged at his friend's sleeve. "Just do it, Genrou. We had a long trip, and I wanna get out of here."

Genrou scowled some more, but with a final glance at his obviously tired friend, he sketched a rough bow. The secretary beamed at them and stepped aside, letting them pass, before sliding the door to the office closed behind her.

"The dorms are this way," she said, heading off to the right. "Classes are held on the other side of the courtyard, and the building across from this one holds the cafeteria, gym and auditorium. This building houses the offices and administrative areas, including the school nurse, if you need her." Her voice was light and perky, and she sounded as if she were giving a tour of some famous tourist attraction, not a reform school with a harsh reputation.

She led them up two flights of stairs, then stopped before a door marked '325b'. "Liao-san, this is your room. You have it to yourself for the moment, as we're not at full capacity right now."

The two boys blinked at her in confusion. "Eh? We're not rooming together?" Genrou blurted out. "What the hell?"

"It's school policy not to allow people who knew each other previously to room together." She smiled at them, but her tone of voice indicated that there would be no arguing on this point. "It encourages you to branch out and make other friends."

The blue-haired boy snorted. "In other words, ya think we're bad influences on each other."

Her smile never wavered. "More or less, yes. Your baggage has already been carried up by some of the other boys." She handed him a key ring and a folder full of paper. "Your class schedule is on top, and the rest of it is standing regulations in the school. Penalties for missing class or breaking one of the regulations are also listed. You're exempt from afternoon classes today, seeing as you just got here, but you'll be expected to be in the cafeteria for dinner by 7:00 tonight."

She began moving off down the hallway, gesturing for Genrou to follow. Both boys moved behind her, and she paused, eyeing them. "You really should settle in now, Liao-san."

He grinned at her. "Just wanna see where my buddy's room is. Then I'll go back and unpack." She seemed to consider for a moment, then shrugged and continued on down the hall.

Genrou snatched the folder from his friend's hand and started leafing through it. "Ne, Kouji, what do ya wanna bet they're gonna try to make me cut my hair? And make you dye yours back?"

"Actually," Kizeki commented, smiling back at them once more, "Your appearance is entirely your decision. We do expect you to be clean and organized, and we ask that you make some effort to be presentable. Certainly, the styles considered 'regulation' in other schools are encouraged, but not mandatory."

The boys both looked happily surprised. "Well, what do ya know?" Kouji shrugged. "Some harsh discipline."

Both teens had a momentary flash of unease, as a distinctly predatory look passed over the secretary's face. "We reserve our discipline efforts for other areas. Kou-san, this is your room." She'd stopped before room '436a'. "Your roommate's name is Li Houjun. Please make an effort to get along."

Genrou protested. "Oi! How come I gotta have a roommate, while HE gets the room to himself?" He jerked his thumb at his best friend. "I ain't good at sharing space with other people. What if I hate him?"

She just smiled. "We'll worry about that if it comes up, Kou-san." She handed him a key ring and folder identical to Kouji's. "Make certain you're not late for dinner. Lights out is at 11:30, no exceptions. Welcome to Kaishin Gakkou." With that, she moved off down the hall, her high heels clicking a fading staccato beat.

Genrou stared at the door in dismay. "Dammit. If I gotta have a roommate, I want you!"

Kouji clapped a hand on his shoulder, and grinned at him. "Buck up, buddy. It could be worse."

"Oh yeah? How?" Genrou snarled, while fitting the key into the lock.

"You could be rooming with your sister Aidou!"

Genrou shuddered and laughed, cautiously pushing the door open. Poking his head in, he sighed as he realized no one was in the room. "Guess he must be at class. Good - I can settle in without some whiny little brat bugging me."

The two boys eyed the room with similar distaste. "Damn small," Kouji finally commented.

Genrou snorted, moving to where his three bags were piled in the middle of the floor. "Easy for you to say - you ain't gotta share!" Glancing around the room, he took in the layout.

Two narrow, cot-like beds were pushed up against opposite walls. Over them were three shelves running the length of the room. On either side of the door were closets with three large drawers, and a full-length mirror on the back of the closet door. Opposite the door were two windows, each with a simple wooden desk beneath it.

One half of the room was clearly occupied. The shelves were full of books, the closet stuffed with clothing, personal effects scattered over the top of the desk. A shiny black laptop sat blinking on the desktop. It gave the impression of being organized to within an inch of its life - a place for everything, and everything in its place. Genrou groaned.

"Great. I got a neat freak. He's gonna HATE me." He eyed the pile of clothes he'd just scattered over his bed and floor, attempting to unpack. It wasn't that he was a messy person - disorganization just seemed to thrive in his presence. Sometimes he swore the clutter bred to fill all available space when he wasn't looking.

Kouji just sniggered, and moved for the door. "I'm gonna get my stuff settled in. Meet me in my room when you're finished?"

Genrou waved him off, frowning at his possessions. "Yeah, whatever. See ya, buddy." Hands on his hips, he eyed the meager three bags all of his belongings had been stuffed into.

"Geez. Ya'd think a seventeen year old boy would have more than three bags worth of stuff," he muttered to himself, digging through one pack. He began shoving his clothing into the drawers, hanging up his few good shirts and slacks. Changing quickly into jeans and a t-shirt, he eyed the uniform from his previous school.

"Ch. Guess I won't need these anymore." He stuffed them back into the bag. "Wonder what kind of uniform they have here, and when I'll get one."

His extensive manga collection, which had taken up nearly a whole suitcase on its own, he arranged on the shelves. He was immensely proud of his collection, and possessed several rare and difficult to find volumes. Squinting, he blushed as he carefully arranged the shounen ai manga so that the covers weren't visible. It hadn't occurred to him that he'd have a roommate other than Kouji, so he hadn't hesitated to pack them. Briefly, he considered putting those books back in the bags with his uniform.

"Nah. They'll get damaged. I'll just have to hope he doesn't recognize the titles, and isn't inclined to go prowling through my stuff." Genrou bared his fangs at the idea. "He'd BETTER not go prowling through my stuff. I'll beat the shit out of him."

"Oh? You and what army?" The voice from the doorway was dark and sardonic, sarcasm resting heavy in its tone.

Genrou whirled, to find an older boy leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed casually over his chest. He wore dark blue jeans, ripped at the knees, and a black turtleneck sweater. His dark hair was longish, hanging into his eyes, which were a warm chocolate colour. His features were sharp and well defined, handsome even, but were marred by a horrible scar sealing his left eye shut. There was a deep frown on his face.

"I suppose you're my new roommate?" Obviously, the idea pleased him about as much as it did Genrou.

"Yeah, that's me. Kou Genrou, at yer service." He swept him an ironic, Western-style bow.

The older boy snorted, and moved forward to plunk down on his bed, slinging his backpack off his shoulder as he did so. "I'm Li Houjun," he replied. "I haven't had a roommate until now, but if you don't bother me, I won't bother you. Deal?" He glanced up from rummaging through his bag to meet Genrou's eyes.

Genrou's breath caught in his throat, his amber eyes widening as he felt caught by that piercing gaze. It felt as if the other boy were looking straight into his soul. At that moment, he had the strangest feeling that he knew the other teen. "Anou.. have we met? I swear I know you from somewhere!" he found himself blurting, then cursed himself for not thinking before he spoke.

Houjun smiled, but there was no humour in his eyes.. "I doubt it. I'm probably at least four years older than you."

"Hey!" Genrou stuck his chest out with pride. "I know I'm kinda little, but I look my age!"

Houjun gave him an appraising glance. "You're, what? Seventeen?" Genrou nodded. "Well, I'm almost twenty-one." He pulled out a thick notebook and a pen, and began flipping through the pages, clearly having dismissed his new roommate.

Genrou shook his head, and began unpacking again. The other boy clearly wanted to be left alone, and he certainly wasn't going to force himself on such a dour jerk. But what was he doing still in high school, if he was twenty-one?

He didn't realize he'd spoken aloud, until he turned to find Houjun glaring at him with his good eye. "What the fuck is your problem?" he blurted out, defensive without understanding why.

The other boy shook his head, and brushed his hair from his face. "I suppose you'll find out sooner or later anyway - better you hear it from me, instead of the rumour mill. I spent three years in prison, then they sent me here when I got out, to finish high school."

"What for?" Genrou cursed himself again. Damn him for always talking before he thought, anyway.

"I killed my best friend and my girlfriend." Leaving Genrou gaping at that casual-sounding pronouncement, he turned his attention back to his notebook.

Genrou slowly returned to sorting his clothes, his mind whirling. _If he only went to prison for three years, he can't have MURDERED them. Not even if he was a minor at the time - they send you away for a LOT longer for that kind of shit. So it must have been an accident or something._ He glanced at his new roomie, to find him biting his lip and tapping his pen on the book in concentration. _Damn, he's kinda cute when he's thinking like that... ah, what the fuck, Genrou? Where'd THAT come from?_ Blushing, he forced himself to focus on his task.

_Sure, he's pretty cute. But he's got a 'don't touch me' attitude a mile thick. Besides, think about where you are - this place is FULL of rough guys. You had enough trouble at your last school, with guys tryin' to beat you and Kouji up. Ch. Just 'cause we're closer than brothers, doesn't mean we're sissies._

He glanced at the one picture he'd brought with him, which he'd already prominently placed on the desk. It had been taken less than a year ago, and was of him and Kouji, his friend hanging around his neck, both of them grinning widely and making 'V' signs at the camera. _Sure, we've done a little - experimenting._ He blushed again, remembering numerous 'sleepovers' over the past two years; the two of them exploring each other shyly, desperately trying to be quiet so as not to be caught by their parents. _And so what if I've never had even a crush on a girl - with my family, ANY boy would hate girls. And maybe I do like shounen ai - so what? It's not like it turns me on or anything - well, okay, maybe just a little.._

He sighed, shaking his head. It was an argument he'd had with himself many times in the past, and he always lost it. _Okay, so I'm - like that. But that doesn't mean I have to advertise it. Especially in a place like this. Fuck, I'd get beat up so fast, my head would be spinning for days. And I'm certainly not going to come on to my roommate! I'm gonna have a hard enough time getting along with him, WITHOUT him hating me for that!_

He surreptitiously glanced over his shoulder again, to find Houjun apparently absorbed in some textbook. He took the opportunity to admire his roomie's incredibly well built, if wiry, body. Houjun obviously took good care of himself, because his muscles were evident even under the heavy sweater. Genrou found himself wondering how the other boy had gotten such a horrible scar.

"In prison." Startled, Genrou brought his gaze to Houjun's good eye, and found that he'd been caught staring. He blushed and stammered, embarrassed.

"Wh-what?"

"I got it in prison," Houjun repeated patiently, as if explaining something to a particularly slow child. He snapped his book closed, and leaned against the wall, drawing one knee up to his chest and resting his arm on it. He gave Genrou a steady look. "Let me give you one very serious piece of advice, kid." Genrou opened his mouth to object to being called a 'kid', but snapped it shut again as Houjun narrowed his eye at him. "And yes, you are a kid, as far as I'm concerned. However tough you may think you are, you haven't been through HALF of what I've seen."

His frowned slightly, his eyes distant, as if he were remembering something. "Whatever you do, DON'T give them an excuse to kick you out of here. Because the next place you go after here is prison. And under NO circumstances, do you want to go there. Whatever you've heard, about how bad it is..." he looked up, and there was a brief flash of incredible pain in his expression. Genrou swallowed hard. "It is much, much worse."

They locked eyes for several moments, and again Genrou felt as if the other boy could somehow see straight into his soul. In the far distance, some kind of bird gave a harsh cry, and he almost thought he could see a trail of red pass between them.

Shaking his head to clear it of the strange images, Genrou bounced to his feet from where he'd been sitting on the bed. "I'm goin' to check on Kouji," he muttered, not even certain why he was telling this taciturn boy where he was going. Houjun said nothing, returning his attention to his textbook as Genrou let the door slam shut behind him.

Finding Kouji's room wasn't difficult, but the halls were much more crowded now. Boys, and a few girls, of varying ages milled about, leaning in doorways and calling across the halls to one another. All of them exhibited varying degrees of toughness, and Genrou's experienced eye told him that they were all people he did not want to mess with. _A whole school full of bullies - just what we needed. We got in enough trouble tying not to get beaten up at our OLD school._

"Oi, Kouji?" He ducked his head through the open door.

"Oi, Genrou! Didja meet yer roomie? What's he like?" Kouji was perched on the bed, and he gestured for Genrou to join him. His room was neatly unpacked, exhibiting neither the sloppiness of Genrou's efforts nor the near-obsessive organization of Houjun's side of the room. True to Kizeki's word, there was no sign of a roommate.

"He's not so bad," Genrou waved dismissively. "Kinda rough looking, not very friendly, but not mean, either. I think we'll just end up ignoring each other, for the most part. Except..." he trailed off, remembering.

"Except what, Gen-chan?" Kouji asked.

"Well, I had the WEIRDEST feeling that I knew him from somewhere! But he's, like, 21, so I don't think I'd have met him before."

"21? What the fuck is he doing still in high school?"

Genrou shrugged. "He said he was in prison for three years, for killing his friend and girlfriend. Pretty fucked up."

Kouji's eyes were wide. "Shit, Genrou, that's serious stuff, man! They roomed you with a murderer?"

Genrou snorted, and whapped Kouji on the head. "Think, baka. If he'd out and out murdered them, he woulda been in prison a hell of a lot longer than just three years."

"Ooh, you got Li Houjun as a roommate, didn't you?" A sympathetic sounding voice said from the doorway. Both boys looked up, to see a boy about 15, peering through the door. "Sorry for interrupting, but I came to introduce myself, and overheard you. Are you really rooming with Li-san?"

Genrou nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

The boy blinked wide, innocent looking eyes at them. "Well, there're all sorts of rumours about him. About how he murdered his friend and his girlfriend in a fit of rage, 'cause they ran off together."

Genrou shook his head. "I just got through tellin' Kouji, he couldn't have MURDERED them..."

The boy cut him off. "Oh, they never PROVED it, you see. The bodies were never found - they say he shoved them into the river. It was flooded that year, and the bodies would have been carried out to sea, never to be seen again." He shivered, and there was a look of illicit excitement on his face. "You'd better hope you don't get him mad at you!"

"If they never found the bodies, what did he go to prison for?" Kouji asked reasonably. He gestured at the spare bed, and the boy took a seat facing them.

"Someone, another classmate, saw Li-san attacking his friend Hikou with a knife. Some people say that's where he got the scar, that his friend gave it to him in self-defense. Other people say he did it to himself, because he was sorry for what he'd done."

"He said he got it in prison," Genrou interjected. The boy's eyes widened further.

"He TALKED to you? REALLY?" he seemed amazed. "He never talks to ANYbody! Oh!" he flushed. "I'm being rude. My name is Chang Min. Pleased to meet you."

"If ya don't mind me askin', what's a kid like you doing in a rough place like this?" Kouji asked.

Min's eyes filled with tears. "I was framed. My parents wanted to get rid of me, because I'm the youngest of ten, and they couldn't afford to feed me anymore. So they set up..."

"Don't listen to him," A new voice interrupted. A girl, 18 or 19, dressed in camouflage and army gear, grinned at the three of them. "And don't let him fool you. Min's the best con artist this school has, and he'll bilk you of every cent you own, if you let him. Right, Min?"

The boy contrived to look innocent, but couldn't hide a grin. "Naisu-'nee-chan, you'll give them a bad impression of me!"

She laughed. "Oh, don't get me wrong, he's a sweetie when he wants to be. But he's here because he deserves to be here." She moved in and ruffled his hair affectionately, then stuck her hand out. "I'm Yamashita Naisu. I'm the hall monitor for this floor, so you'll be seeing a fair bit of me. If you have any problems, talk to me before you talk to any of the staff, and I'll see if I can fix it for ya."

Kouji shook her hand, and gestured at Genrou, who'd turned his face away. "I'm Liao Kouji, and that ass there is my best friend, Kou Genrou. Don't mind him, he hates women. Nothing personal... if you had his family, you'd hate women too!"

She grinned at him. "Tough mom?"

"AND four older sisters who beat up on him constantly," Kouji agreed, while Genrou snorted. "Hell, *I* practically hate women, and I only spent a little time at his house!"

"Naisu hardly counts as a woman," Another boy drawled from the doorway. She mock-punched him, which he returned in kind. "Nakamura Kenji. I live across the hall, with Min."

"Have you both looked over the regs?" Naisu inquired. Both boys shook their heads. "Well, you'll want to give them a thorough going over, but I can break it down for you for now. There're no uniforms, as you've probably noticed by now. You can wear whatever you want, as long as it's clean and not TOO revealing."

"Although some, like our lovely Haku Kaen, make an art form of pushing that line." Kenji commented, his voice sarcastic.

Naisu threw him a 'look', but otherwise ignored him. "Anyway, you can't leave the school grounds, except with special permission, which is DAMNED hard to get. Most of us, quite frankly, don't bother trying." She grinned at them. "DON'T miss curfew, whatever you do. There's a roll call just before lights out, and if you're not in your room, you're in TROUBLE. If you need to see the nurse, talk to your hall monitor first, if you can. That's me for you, Kouji, and Genrou, your hall monitor is Ueda Mamoru. DON'T bug the staff. By staff, I mean teachers, secretaries, whatever. Don't miss meals, and don't miss classes. Don't get caught sleeping in class, whatever you do!"

Min shifted uncomfortably. "Hai. I did that - ONCE. Trust me, I'll never do it again!"

Naisu shrugged. "Punishment - well, this isn't a normal school. It's not even a normal reform school. Your parents signed a piece of paper that says they can do whatever they want to you, short of killing you, just about. Even those of us over 18 have to deal with that, by special court order. The police turn their eyes from this place - after all, they're preventing criminals from forming, right?" She smirked.

"Not all the rules are in that little folder. There are rules set up by the students, too. You'll learn them as you go, mostly. Just keep in mind that you're the newest kids here, and treat EVERYONE like your sempai for the first little while, no matter how much younger than you they are, and you'll do fine. Later, we'll see how you measure up, and then you can take your place in our little 'society'."

Kouji and Genrou exchanged glances. Neither was used to taking orders from others - but, as they'd both been reminded, this was a school full of people who weren't used to taking orders. Until they'd established their place in the pecking order, it would probably be best to stay out of trouble as much as possible.

Naisu grinned at them. "Good, I see you both understand. One last thing. If you see Haku Kaen or Ryo Chuin - you'll know them by the way other students treat them - don't do anything to attract their attention." Her face was suddenly grim. "The staff here are cruel and, to be honest, take pleasure in 'teaching us a lesson'. But Kaen and Chuin are worse." She smiled again, as if to reassure them. "But stay out of their way and you should be fine."

Kenji gave them both an appraising look. "Although, that may be difficult for the two of you."

Genrou blinked. "How come? I mean, yeah, I've got a big mouth, but I know when to keep it shut."

"Usually," Kouji muttered, earning him another smack on the head.

Min exchanged a glance with his roommate. "He means, because you're both so attractive. Kaen and Chuin - like to play."

Genrou growled and brandished his fist. "Just let 'em try it. They won't be the first, and they won't be the last."

Kenji shook his head. "I wouldn't recommend it. If they take an interest in you, the best thing you can do is grit your teeth and bear it. They'll get bored eventually. But if you fight back..." He shrugged. "Well, that makes you more entertaining." Turning, he waved at them over his shoulder. "Anyway, I've got calculus to work on. Min, if you're smart, you'll finish that extra assignment Toshido-sensei gave you before dinner!"

"OH!" Min bounced to his feet. "I'd forgotten about that. Please excuse me, Kouji, Genrou."

"Nice ta meet you, kid," Kouji waved at him.

Naisu grinned again. "I'll be around if you need me, just shout!" She wandered out, letting the door swing shut behind her.

"Man! Well, at least all of the people here aren't creeps," Kouji exclaimed, throwing himself backwards on the bed. He landed with his head pillowed in Genrou's lap, and grinned up at his friend. "Sucks that we aren't roomies, though. With no parents around, we coulda had fun all night long, ne?"

"Baka." Genrou cuffed him lightly. "Our parents may not be around to hear us, but there's a whole school full of potential fag-haters out there!" He grinned, baring his fangs, then became serious. "Honestly, Kouji, we'd better keep it quiet. From the sounds of it, there're some rough kids out there, and we don't wanna cause more trouble than we can handle. Remember how the kids at our last school treated us - and we never really even gave them anything to gossip about."

Kouji made a face at him. "Yeah, yeah, don't worry Genrou. I'm not gonna blow yer cover."

Genrou glared at him, but his eyes shone with humour. "Blow MY cover? WHO started this whole thing two years ago? As I recall, you kissed me first!"

Kouji laughed. "So what if I did? You were asking for it, lying there with that sulky, sexy, fanged pout on your face."

"You'd just beat the shit out of me with a pillow!" Genrou protested, chuckling. "Then you pinned me, and were teasing me about my fangs. The LAST thing I expected you to do was lean down and kiss me!"

Kouji snorted. "Believe me, it was the last thing I expected me to do, either. I still dunno where that came from." Both boys grinned at each other, remembering the horribly awkward moments after their first kiss. They'd stared at one another in shock, unable to believe what they'd just done. "But you were the one who leaned up and kissed me the second time."

"Yeah, well..." Genrou sounded defensive. "It felt good. I wanted to do it again. And I didn't hear you objecting!"

Kouji reached up and tangled his fingers in Genrou's long, red hair. Curling his index finger around the elastic holding it back, he tugged sharply, snapping the band. Genrou growled at him as the long, fine strands cascaded around his face. "Will ya stop DOING that? I've got a limited supply of the damn things, and I don't know where I can get more now. And ya know I hate having my hair in my face."

"Then why do you keep it so long?" Kouji asked, teasing. "It makes you look like a..."

"DON'T SAY IT!" Genrou howled, slapping his hand over his friend's mouth. "It does NOT make me look like a girl! And I keep it long 'cause it bugs my mom, you know that. Besides, I like the way it looks."

"So do I, buddy." Kouji's voice was muffled by Genrou's hand, and his lips caressed his palm with the words. Genrou shivered, then shuddered as Kouji's tongue swept out to taste. "That's why I keep breaking your elastic - it looks damn sexy down."

"Mmmm. Izzat door locked?" Genrou murmured, his free hand teasing along Kouji's neck.

"Locks when you shut it," Kouji replied, eyes shining with lust. "Now shut up and kiss me, ya bastard. Let's christen my new room, eh?"

Genrou removed his hand and leaned down, more than happy to oblige.


	2. Chapter 2

The two boys came crashing through the cafeteria doors, just as the school clock gave the last seven o'clock chime. The matronly woman standing at the doors 'tsked' at the two out of breath teens, as she locked the doors behind them. "That was close, boys. Better leave a wider margin, next time."

"Hai!" They chorused, catching their breath and looking around.

The cafeteria wasn't large, but it didn't need to be, since there were less than 300 people at the school. Kouji spotted Min waving at them from a table near the center and waved back, indicating that they'd join them after they'd gotten their food. The food lineup was short, since they were the last ones through the doors, and they quickly joined their new friends.

Kenji shoved down to make room for them, and quickly rattled off the names of the dozen or so people seated there. Genrou and Kouji both nodded their hellos, then tucked into their meals like starving animals.

"Do you guys always eat like this?" Min asked, eyes wide as they shoveled food into their faces at a fantastic rate.

"Pretty much," Kouji answered him, pausing. Genrou took the opportunity to snatch at a piece of Kouji's meat. Kouji smacked at his hand, but missed, and Genrou grinned triumphantly at him before stuffing the meat in his face. Kouji promptly retaliated by stealing half of Genrou's Jell-O.

"We missed lunch," Genrou explained. "But yeah, we usually eat like this. I grew up with four pushy older sisters, and I had to fight to keep my food on my plate! Kouji picked up the habit from me." He grinned, exposing his fangs.

Naisu plopped down across from them. "What's with the teeth, anyway? Do you file them like that or something?"

Genrou snorted. "Naw. I was born with 'em."

"His dentist tried to suggest fixing them, once," Kouji added. "Just once." Genrou grinned again.

"You were born with them? Your poor mother. Guess you didn't get breastfed," Kenji commented.

Genrou's eyes widened, and Kouji groaned. "Oh, man, now you've got him started!" Kouji complained good-naturedly.

"Poor mother? My poor mother? Fuck that shit! She nearly suffocated me!" Genrou pounded on the table with one fist to emphasize his point. Min giggled.

"It's true," Kouji backed him up. "You have to see this woman to believe her. Her chest is HUGE, and she LOVES clutching things to her. Particularly Genrou's face." Genrou cuffed him, and Kouji punched him in the arm in return. "Personally, I've always thought she was trying to do him in, so she'd only have daughters."

"Yer damn straight she was trying to do me in," Genrou grumbled. "Fucking woman is psycho!"

Kenji smiled. "Sounds like you were traumatized by it," he commented.

Kouji snorted. "You ain't seen nothing. Watch this. Hey, Genrou!" He picked up his glass of milk and wiggled it under Genrou's face. "Want some milk?"

Genrou turned white, then green. "Fuck off, Kouji! Get that shit out of my face!" Kouji laughed and took a healthy gulp of his milk.

"See? He can't stand even looking at the stuff. He claims it reminds him of his mother attempting to breastfeed him." Min, Kenji and Naisu exchanged glances, while Genrou growled menacingly at his best friend.

"Weird," was Naisu's comment. The five new friends continued to banter and tease one another throughout the meal.

Finally, Genrou leaned back in his chair, patting his stomach. "Ya know, for caf food, that wasn't half bad. I'm stuffed!"

"They do feed us well," Kenji agreed, looking up from where he was playing with the last dregs of his ice cream.

"Fattening us up for the kill," Naisu commented, grinning.

"And how very well you fatten, my dear Naisu." A light tenor commented from behind them in a patently false sweet tone.

Naisu, Kenji and Min all froze, while the other occupants of the table slowly edged away from the five at the center. Naisu forced a smile to her face. "Haku-sama. Ryo-sama. I trust this evening finds you well?"

"Oh, look at the little worm attempt to be civilized," a husky alto interjected smoothly. Kouji and Genrou turned to find two upperclassmen standing behind them.

The two women had stunningly long hair, which they wore swept back in twin high ponytails. The first speaker was dressed in a loose, traditional-style kimono, grey hair trailing over her shoulder, and wore heavy makeup, nearly obscuring her real features. The other had purple-tinted hair down to her knees, and her clothing left as little to the imagination as her companion's covered.

Genrou growled and opened his mouth to object to the woman's treatment of Naisu, then snapped it shut again as she kicked him under the table and shook her head, subtly. The gesture did not go unnoticed by the sharp eyes of the newcomers, however.

"Oh, these must be the two new boys. How lovely." The girl Genrou had decided must be Ryo Chuin reached out and placed her fingers beneath Kouji's chin, tilting his face up to see it better. Genrou tensed, but said nothing, waiting to see what would happen.

"Such a pity, that scar. Your features would be flawless, otherwise." Apparently losing interest, she dropped Kouji's chin and turned to her friend. "Don't you agree, my dear Kaen?"

Kaen tilted her head and pursed her lips thoughtfully. "A shame, yes. But you..." she nearly purred, leaning over Genrou in a provocative manner. "You are most interesting. Such lovely hair." She moved to run her fingers through his long locks, still loose from the earlier playing.

Genrou acted without thinking, batting her hand away from him and growling. "Keep yer hands to yerself," he muttered darkly.

Kaen's eyes narrowed dangerously. Though her attention didn't move from Genrou's face, she somehow managed to direct a dirty look at Naisu. "Haven't you taught them the rules yet, Naisu?" she murmured.

Naisu grunted. "It's their first day, Haku-sama. Please, give them a little leeway, they don't know any better yet."

Kaen grinned and pulled away. "Indeed. I hope you're a fast learner, boy. Because you won't get many second chances here."

Chuin smiled in a predatory fashion, and both Kouji and Genrou shivered instinctively. "And the first thing that you must learn, boys, is that there is a ranking system among the students, of which we," she indicated herself and Kaen, "are at the top." Genrou's eyes widened as he realized Chuin's nails were very, very long, and had been filed into sharp points. "That means, that everyone at this school, belongs to us." She smiled again, and glanced over her shoulder to the next table. "Isn't that right, Li-san?"

Genrou blinked - he hadn't even realized Houjun had been eating at the table behind them. The older boy gave Chuin a disgusted look. "Don't bring me into this, Ryo. You know I won't play your little games."

Kaen pouted, and ran her fingernails along the edge of Houjun's chin. "Such a shame - you could rule with us, you know."

He growled and batted her hand away, much as Genrou had done a moment before. Standing, he picked up his tray and glared at the two women. "Fuck off, Kaen. I am not in the mood." He glanced at the two boys. "And leave them be for now. It's their first day."

"Best to nip rebellion in the bud, Hou-chan." She smirked at him. "They need to learn who their masters are."

Houjun narrowed his eye. Though his voice wasn't raised, the tone was intimidating enough. "You disgust me, you know that? Both of you. Don't be so familiar with me." Ignoring Kaen's shocked gasp, he strode away.

"Why that - that..." Kaen was trembling with fury. Chuin gave a soft, disturbing-sounding laugh.

"You should know better than to play with him by now, Kaen," she commented, tapping her chin with one long, red fingernail. "You always end up on the losing end."

"Hmph." Kaen tossed her head, flouncing her hair back. "Screw him anyway. Come on, Chuin, I'm bored. Newbies aren't any fun until they've learned the rules. Lets go find someone else to play with."

Genrou hadn't even realized he'd been holding his breath through the entire exchange with Houjun, until his lungs began to burn. He gasped, slumping back against the table, dazed. Kouji appeared to be in much the same shape.

Kenji gave them both a sympathetic look. "Now you see why we said not to attract their attention. Li is the only one in the school who can get away with treating them like that."

Genrou shook his head. "How come he gets away with it?"

Naisu smirked. "Kaen's made no secret of the crush she has on him, and he's turned her down continually. But they never retaliate at him directly. Personally, I think they're secretly afraid of him. Of everyone at this school, he's the only one who's actually been to prison. And he's utterly unpredictable in his actions. He might smile at them, or he might explode and beat them up. It makes him a dangerous unknown."

Kouji gave his best friend a wide-eyed stare. "Shit, man. And you got stuck with him for a roommate?"

Genrou sighed and shook his head. "He didn't seem so bad earlier. Just - quiet, and withdrawn."

"You must have caught him in a good mood," Min commented. "Especially since he actually told you about his past."

Naisu and Kenji stared at Genrou. "He DID?" Naisu gaped. "He's never told anyone ANYTHING! All anybody knows is what the hackers managed to uncover of his police records. But he told you personally? What did he say?"

Genrou shifted uncomfortably. "Well, fuck, man, not much. He said I'd find out from the rumour mill eventually, and I might as well hear it from him. Just that he'd been to prison for three years for killing his best friend and girlfriend, and that he'd gotten the scar there." He shook his head, remembering the fleeting pain that had crossed the older boy's face when talking of prison.

Min blinked his wide eyes. "He must like you, I guess. Or maybe he was trying to frighten you?"

Genrou grunted. "Doesn't matter. We agreed to leave each other alone, and that's the end of it. We'll get along okay, if he keeps up his end of the bargain."

"And if you don't drive him nuts, leaving your stuff all over the place," Kouji added, grinning. Genrou took a lazy swing at him.

"Oi! I'm not that bad!"

"Oh, yes you are! I've seen your room at home, remember? Or, more accurately, I haven't seen it - it was covered in junk!"

Naisu laughed. "I can tell you two have been friends for a long time. You fight like an old married couple!" Both teens protested loudly, to the amusement of the three schoolmates.

Kenji stood, holding his tray. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I still have work to do. Kouji, Genrou," He tilted his head at them, "If you're smart, you'll make sure you always have your homework done before the next day. The Sensei get really pissy if they call on you and you don't have an answer."

"Preferably the right answer," Min added, picking up his tray as well. "Or at least a really good guess. Come on, walk back to the dorm with us."

Both Kouji and Genrou picked up their empty trays, and the four boys headed for the exit. Naisu indicated that she wanted to stay and chat with some of the older students at the table.

The next few hours were a whirlwind of introductions, as everyone in the school, it seemed, came to meet the two newest students. Genrou, never very good at remembering names and faces, was quickly lost. Kouji laughed at the bewildered look on his face as yet another group of tough-looking teens exited the room.

"Getting a headache yet, buddy?" The blue-haired boy teased his friend.

"I hate meeting new people," Genrou muttered, batting at Kouji with the pillow. The other boy fended off the half-hearted attack easily. "Too damn many new faces and names. How the hell am I supposed to remember all of 'em?"

"Ah, don't worry about it. I'll prompt ya, as usual. Hey, have you taken a look at your class schedule yet? I hope we have some of the same classes!"

Genrou rolled over to regard the ceiling. "Naw, I ain't looked at it. And it's back in my room. Surely we gotta have some of the same stuff, though - I mean, there's only 300 people here, and we're taking all the same subjects, right? How many different classes can there be?"

Kouji shrugged. "Guess you're right." He glanced at the clock. "Ne, it's quarter after 11. You'd better get going."

Genrou raised an eyebrow. "Already? Geez. Time flies, I guess." He heaved himself up from the bed. "Well, I'll see you in the morning, I guess. Ciao, Liao."

Kouji snorted at the old joke. "Sleep tight, Gen-chan. Try not to let your roommie murder you before breakfast, okay?"

Genrou stuck his tongue out in the only dignified response such a remark warranted. Laughing, he let the door shut behind him, and made his way back to his room.

In his room, he found Houjun apparently absorbed in his laptop, typing away. As the door opened, the other boy glanced up, nodded at Genrou, then returned to his work. Genrou shrugged and moved to get ready for bed, gathering his sleeping pants, toothbrush, soap and washcloth. As he headed back out the door, Houjun looked over his shoulder at him.

"You've got less than five minutes before roll-call. Don't be late," he warned. Genrou grunted and continued on his way to the bathroom.

He was back with nearly a minute to spare, and settled into his bed. The mattress wasn't exactly comfortable, but it wasn't uncomfortable, either. The pillow was adequately fluffy, though Genrou sensed it was the kind that would squish nearly flat with repeated use. The blanket and sheet provided were fairly thin, and he hoped it didn't get much colder in the wintertime.

"They heat the place pretty well, so you won't need more blankets," Houjun commented as he shut down his laptop. Genrou shot him a look. That was at LEAST the second time the guy had answered a comment Genrou was certain he hadn't made aloud. Houjun smirked at his dumbfounded look.

"No, I'm not reading your mind," He said, then snorted as Genrou jumped. "Your thoughts are written all over your face. You'll need to learn to control that, if you want to survive here."

Genrou pulled a long face at himself. Kouji had often commented that he was easier to read than a comic book, as well. "Yeah, well, whatever," he growled, not really knowing what else to say.

Houjun's reply was cut off by a call from the hallway. "Everybody line up outside your doors!" The older boy sighed and stood, moving for the door.

"Come on, we have to line up so they can count us."

Grumbling that he had just settled in, Genrou climbed back out of bed and joined Houjun in the hallway. Looking up and down the hall, he saw that each door had one or two people standing before it, as a tall, handsome boy moved along, checking off names on a list as he called them out and the person responded.

The boy paused before their door. "Li, Houjun."

"Hai," Houjun replied, sounding bored and disinterested.

"Kou, Genrou."

"Hai," Genrou muttered, unimpressed. The other boy gave him a small smile.

"Kou-san, I'm Ueda Mamoru, your hall monitor. I hear Naisu gave you the rundown already?" Genrou nodded. "All right then, I won't bore you by going over it again. Welcome to Kaishin Gakkou." He smiled again, then moved off down the hall.

When he reached the end of the hallway, he paused before a set of switches. "Okay, people, you know the drill. You have 60 seconds to get organized before the lights go out. Oyasumi nasai."

"Oyasumi nasai," the entire hall mumbled back, and everyone turned to go into their rooms.

"Ne, Houjun?" Genrou ventured as the two boys climbed into their respective beds.

"Yeah?"

Genrou shifted, trying to find the most comfortable position. "We're not allowed out of the rooms again, right? What if we have to go to the bathroom or something?"

Houjun flashed him a wry smile. "I suggest you don't try and find out. There're motion sensors in the hallways, that set off an alarm in Mamoru's room. He's a nice guy, but he really hates being woken up in the middle of the night for something trivial."

"Well, what time are we allowed out of the rooms in the morning? I mean, classes start at 8:30, and breakfast starts at 7:00, but I need to shower and stuff." As if his words were somehow a cue, the lights flickered once in warning, then shut off. Pitch blackness reigned as his eyes attempted to adjust.

"The sensors go off at 5:30am, but nobody gets up that early," Houjun replied quietly. "Now go to sleep - they don't care if we talk after lights-out, as long as we keep it quiet, but you're gonna need your rest tomorrow. The first day is always the roughest."

Genrou snorted softly. "I can handle it."

He could almost hear the smile in Houjun's voice. "Sure you can, kid. Now go to sleep."

Houjun's breathing evened out almost immediately, but Genrou fought to stay awake and think. Somehow, with the lights out, Houjun's voice seemed even more familiar. The sound of that soft, smiling tenor in the warm darkness wrapped itself around his mind, teasing at the edges of his memory. He frowned.

 _Why does he seem so damn familiar sometimes? I know I haven't met him before._ He snorted softly - his older sister would say that they must have met in a past life. _I don't believe in that shit, though. Still, there's just something about him..._ His eyes now adjusted to the gentle illumination of the moon streaming through the window, he eyed his sleeping roommate.

_He looks softer, when he's sleeping. Younger, almost. Vulnerable. Why do I feel like I should be protecting him? He doesn't need my protection, he's obviously perfectly capable of taking care of himself._

Despite his best efforts, the long day was taking its toll on the weary teenager, and Genrou found his eyes sliding shut. His last coherent thought as he fell away into the arms of sleep was, _And why do I feel like his hair should be BLUE?_

 

* * *

Morning came bright and early - a little too bright and MUCH too early to the sleepy teenager huddled beneath his blankets. He cursed softly at the sunlight streaming through the unshaded window, and tugged the blankets up over his head.

Genrou was NOT a morning person.

And to add to his normal morning grouchiness, he'd slept restlessly all night, his sleep invaded by harsh cries of an unknown bird, and dreams of a weird, three foot tall person in a buddist monk's outfit, with light blue hair, gravity defying bangs, and a fox-eyed smile that just wouldn't quit. The thing had looked like a chibi from one of his manga.

"Been reading too much damn shoujo, that's what it is," he muttered, squeezing his eyes shut in a futile attempt to block out the bright light.

"You'd better get up." Houjun's voice was muffled by the blanket clutched tight around Genrou's head, but it reached the sullen boy. "Breakfast ends in half an hour, and classes start after that."

Bolting upright, Genrou saw that it was indeed nearly 8:00. "Shit!" He exclaimed, hopping out of bed and snatching up toilet accessories and clothes at random. "Shit shit shit!" He bounded out of the door, making a beeline for the boy's lavatory, ignoring the laughter coming from the room behind him.

The washrooms were located at the ends of the halls, and the boy's washroom, at least, was large, roomy, and meticulously clean. There were few other students using the facilities so late in the morning, so Genrou had the shower room all to himself.

He'd half expected to see one large, open room, with shower heads at even distances along the wall. He was pleasantly surprised to find that the showers were separated by thick ceramic walls, with wooden doors leading to little, individual rooms. There were no locks on the doors, but he supposed that was only to be expected.

Though he normally liked to spend a great deal of time in the shower, luxuriating in the warm spray, he didn't want to miss breakfast or be late for class. Dumping a handful of shampoo out, he quickly lathered his hair and rinsed it, cursing the time it would take to dry. Ordinarily, he washed it at night so that it would be dry in the morning, but he hadn't had a chance the night before. "One of these days, I'm really gonna cut it off," he muttered, glaring balefully at a handful of orange.

Having finally gotten all the suds out of the long locks, he quickly shut off the water, squeezing the excess water from his hair. He rubbed briskly with one of his towels, while freeing his other hand to wrap his second towel around his waist. Stepping out of the actual shower into the little dressing room, he wrapped the first towel around his head and hastily started donning his clothes.

Dressed in his usual jeans and t-shirt, he moved out into the common area, plunking his stuff down on the counter before the huge mirror. Grabbing a brush, he started pulling it through his still-sodden hair, attempting to tame it to some semblance of neatness.

Ten minutes later, he had it back in a loose ponytail. He grimaced as he felt the dampness soaking into the back of his shirt, but shrugged. There was nothing he could do about it now. Padding on bare feet out of the washroom, he made a beeline for his door.

Only to stand outside, fuming, as he discovered he hadn't remembered to bring his keys with him. Houjun had apparently left for breakfast, as no one answered his impatient knock on the door. He stood there, shivering as the cool air of the hallway hit the wet back of his shirt, and wondered what the hell he was going to do now.

"Locked out?" a sympathetic voice asked from behind him. Looking around, he saw the boy from the night before, Ueda Mamoru.

"Yeah," He muttered, blushing at his stupidity. The older boy smiled and produced a keyring.

"I'm not supposed to open the rooms for you - you're supposed to have to go through administration, to teach you not to lose your keys. But seeing as it's your first day, I'll make an exception for you." He opened the door and held it while Genrou made his way inside.

"Thanks," the red-head muttered, and Mamoru gave him a smile and a wave as he left, letting the door swing shut behind him.

Genrou frowned - he wasn't sure he liked the idea that the other boy could get in to his room while he wasn't there. Glancing again at his shounen ai collection, he shrugged. There wasn't anything he could do about it, and if Houjun felt safe leaving his laptop out like that, then the guy probably didn't abuse the privilege. Besides, he'd seemed nice enough.

 _He's here at this school, he must have done something to deserve it,_ something at the back of his head whispered.

"Yeah, but if he were a thief, they probably wouldn't give him the keys to the rooms, now would they?" he replied aloud. Glancing at the clock, he cursed again - the wait in the hallway had cost him his leeway time. Now he was going to have to hurry just to make it to class, never mind breakfast.

Snatching a pair of socks from his drawer, he glanced over the timesheet in the folder he'd been given yesterday. The school was on a semester system, and it was now three weeks into semester one. He had homeroom from 8:30 to 9:00, History from 9:00 to 10:00, Literature from 10:00 to 11:00, lunch from 11:00 to 12:00, Math from 12:00 to 1:00, and Arts (whatever that was) from 1:00 to 2:00. 2:00 to 3:00 was listed as 'study hall', and since Houjun had come back to the room at about 3:00 yesterday, he figured that was the end of classes.

He started to glance over the rules and regulations, then realized that he had no idea where his homeroom was. He needed to leave now if he was going to find it and not be late.

Grabbing his backpack, which he'd stuffed with paper and pens the night before, he bolted from the room - this time, remembering to put his keys in his pocket.

The classrooms turned out to be easy to find, as they were numbered in sequence. His homeroom was in the middle of the second floor, and he skidded through the door with minutes to spare.

He spotted Min waving to him from the other side of the room, and picked his way past groups of students clustered around, talking and chatting, to plunk down in the seat next to his new friend. "Hey, shorty, what're you doin' here?"

Min stuck his tongue out at the reference to his size, then giggled. "Homeroom includes people from every grade. It's an attempt to get us to mingle."

Genrou made a face. "They're big on this 'mingling' thing, aren't they? That's the reason they wouldn't let Kouji an' me room together."

Min shrugged. "It's not so bad. It IS nice to get to meet other people. And, contrary to what they'd have you believe, most of the kids at this school aren't so bad, as long as you're careful not to antagonize them."

"And yer an expert at that, is that it?" They shared a conspiratory grin.

"STAND!" A boy by the door called as the teacher walked in. Bad habits are hard to break - Genrou almost didn't get to his feet with the others. A hard nudge from Min reminded him that he really didn't want to get in trouble on his first day.

"BOW!" He bowed with the rest of them, a little awkwardly. It had been a long time since he'd actually made an effort to bow to someone politely, and he was out of practice.

"Sit," the Sensei said, and they all obeyed. The Sensei, a tall, thin man in his late forties, began flipping through several pages. He started calling off names in alphabetical order, and was answered by a 'hai' from each student in turn.

"Kou, Genrou."

"Hai." Genrou raised his voice to be heard, and made an effort to keep any sulkiness or sullenness out of his tone. His old teachers had always complained that he sounded disrespectful.

The Sensei paused, looking up at him. Nervously, Genrou wondered what on earth he could have done wrong in the first five minutes of class.

"Kou-san, you're recorded as not having been at breakfast," the Sensei announced, squinting up at Genrou as though he were in need of glasses. "Please explain yourself."

Genrou scrunched his nose up and tried hard to sound regretful. "Uh... sumimasen, Sensei. I locked myself out of my room this morning when I went to take a shower." He blushed as giggles sounded from the rest of the class.

A harsh look from the Sensei hushed the gigglers. He tapped his chin with the fingers of one hand thoughtfully. "I understand that this is your first day, Kou-san. But, you must learn the discipline needed in this environment." He seemed to come to a decision. "Report to your hall monitor for discipline, after study hall." Satisfied, he continued to call off names from the list.

Min glanced around surreptitiously, then slid a note to Genrou. Carefully unfolding it beneath his desk, he glanced at the scrawled handwriting.

'You got off lucky - hall monitor discipline isn't bad.' Genrou tossed a careless shrug to Min.

The half hour homeroom turned out to be a time for students to ask for help with the previous day's homework questions. Having no homework from the previous day, Genrou idly doodled in his notebook, listening to the scratching of pens on paper all around him.

He was jolted from his half daze by the sound of the buzzer, and Min's hand on his shoulder.

"What are you drawing, Genrou?" the curious boy peeked over his shoulder. He blinked at the odd characters littering the page. "Isn't that the character for 'wing'? Why do you keep drawing it over and over? And what's THAT?" He pointed at the vague outline of a bird with sweeping feathers.

Shutting the book and putting it away in his bag, Genrou shrugged. "I dunno. I always draw 'wing' when I'm bored, and that same damn bird. At least it's recognizable as a bird, now. When I first started doodling it, even I wasn't sure what it was supposed to be."

Min laughed. "You're really quite strange sometimes, Genrou."

Genrou grinned proudly, displaying his fangs as he moved for the door. "You betcha! Wouldn't have it any other way. Being normal is boring!"

History turned out to be a boring class, taught by a boring woman, with a boring voice. All together, Genrou was having trouble keeping his eyes open and focused, and his lack of sleep the night before didn't help matters any. Keeping in mind Naisu's warning not to fall asleep in class, he managed to stay awake, and even to take moderately legible notes.

"I hate comin' in to a class half way through," He grumbled as he made his way to his second class. As he entered the door, he was pleasantly surprised to see Kouji near the back.

"Oi, Genrou!" His buddy called, waving to him. Genrou bounded over to sit in front of him, turning in his seat to face his friend. "You weren't at breakfast," Kouji commented, grinning. "Sleep in?"

Genrou made a face at him. "You know damn well I did. And some buddy you are - you could have at least come and woken me up!"

Kouji shrugged and spread his hands in a 'who, me?' gesture. "I didn't know you weren't awake till I got to the caf, and by then it was too late. So you missed breakfast. You never eat breakfast anyway!"

Genrou growled. "Yeah, but I got detention or something after class, now." Kouji pulled a face.

"Tough luck, buddy. Detention on the first day of class. Way to go, Genrou. You're really making a name for yourself!" Genrou punched him, then turned to face the front as the Sensei entered.

Literature wasn't as bad as History, but Genrou, as usual, found himself lost among the formal language and subtle imagery. His head was spinning with metaphors and their meanings as the class broke for lunch.

"Why can't they just teach from manga, for these damn classes?" He muttered as he and Kouji made their way to the cafeteria. "They're so much simpler to figure out! All this beatin' around the bush - why don't they just say what they MEAN, dammit?"

Kouji laughed and slung his arm over Genrou's shoulder. "'Cause, buddy. Then you might actually pass literature for a change." He ducked Genrou's swing. "Come on - I'll race you to the caf! Last one there has to do the other's homework for the day!"

Genrou's eyes widened as Kouji took off - the bastard would actually make him do the work if he lost, too! "Oh, no you don't!" Laughing, he ran after his best friend.


	3. Chapter 3

Genrou knocked on the door pointed out to him as Ueda Mamoru's after study hall was over. Math had actually been a fun class, with a Sensei who had a passion for his subject, and a talent for passing that passion on to his students, at least in part. Arts had turned out to be a choice between music, drama, and art, and, after much deliberation, he'd chosen drama. He'd never been involved in anything remotely 'artsy' before, but he found he was already enjoying the chance to express himself in drama. The teacher - not a sensei, as the woman was a gaijin and insisted on being referred to as a teacher - was a seemingly flighty woman, who actually had a very sharp eye for spotting troublemaking students. She had, oddly enough, hit it off with Genrou right away.

Mamoru opened the door with a sympathetic smile. "Ah, Kou-san. Right on time. Missed breakfast 'cause you locked yourself out, huh?" Genrou nodded, and the older boy sighed. "Well, I can't let you off easy, 'cause they already let you off easy by sending you to me. So..." He leaned in a grabbed a toothbrush, still in it's original packaging. "You get to clean the boys washroom. The soap and detergent and stuff is in a closet in the room, I'll unlock it for you."

Genrou stared at the toothbrush. "You've got to be kidding me. With THIS?"

"'Fraid so. I suggest you get to work, 'cause you've gotta be finished by lights out. Oh, and whatever you do, DON'T miss dinner!"

Genrou sighed and followed him into the washroom, as Mamoru unlocked a small cupboard. "Yeah, I got that lesson down pat, thanks." Mamoru left him with the supplies, after posting a sign on the door which read "Being cleaned - please use the facilities on another floor"

He stared first at the toothbrush, then at the buckets and soap. Heaving another sigh, he pushed his sleeves up to his shoulders. "Guess I might as well get started. Good thing I'm not wearing anything I'm attached to!"

 

* * *

Seven hours later, Genrou shoved his sweaty bangs out of his face with a sigh of satisfaction. The washroom was sparkling; he'd gone over absolutely every inch with toothbrush and soapy water. All that was left was to rinse the floor of the shower area.

After bolting his dinner, he'd returned to work as quickly as possible. The others had been sympathetic and didn't interrupt him by making him talk, and they'd wished him luck as he trotted out of the cafeteria again.

His haste in leaving hadn't been entirely due to a desire to be finished this awful task, Genrou had to admit to himself, standing up and wincing at the noise his knees made. Kaen and Chuin had been on move, in the direction of their table, and he just hadn't felt like dealing with the overbearing upperclassmen. He'd likely have lost his temper and said something that would only get him in trouble later.

He had the tap on full to fill the rinse bucket, and so didn't hear the footsteps of someone entering until a heavy hand descended on his shoulder. Spinning around, he spilled the water all over the floor.

Three beefy guys stood before him, cracking their knuckles ostentatiously. One had a hand on his shoulder. Behind them, stood Kaen and Chuin, grinning nastily at him. He glanced around - as he'd suspected, the door was closed, and there was no one else in sight. He doubted anyone would interfere, either, given how feared these two seemed to be. He was on his own.

"So, little worm," Chuin began, her oddly tenor voice sounding breathy with excitement. "Have you learned your manners yet? Or are we going to have to teach you a lesson?"

Genrou narrowed his eyes, considering. He'd been warned repeatedly not to mess with these two. But Houjun seemed to get away with badmouthing them, simply because he refused to be intimidated. Genrou decided to follow his roommate's lead. Deliberately, he brushed the one guy's hand from his shoulder, then turned his back on them, starting to refill the water bucket.

He heard someone - Kaen, he thought - hiss behind him. "Little worm thinks he can ignore us, does he? Teach him a lesson, boys."

Genrou tensed as he felt the three brutes moving behind him. Apparently, just ignoring them wasn't going to work. As the first of the brutes reached him, he swung around, using the heavy weight of the half-filled bucket as a weapon.

He sent the first goon smashing into one of his buddies, and released the bucket. The momentum of the swing carried them both crashing into the far wall. The third goon snarled and took a swing at him.

Genrou ducked the punch easily, and countered with a sweeping roundhouse that caught the goon square in the solar plexus. The hulking brute gagged once, then fell to his knees, clutching at his chest and gaping for air like a fish out of water.

The first two had recovered by this point, and charged him simultaneously. So identical they might have been twins, they even punched together, making it easy for him to dodge the blows. With a quick three punch combination, they were measuring their length on the floor beside their buddy. Contemptuously, Genrou turned to the two women.

"Yer gonna hafta do better than that," he muttered, kicking absently at one of the goons who was trying to rise. The boy gave an 'oof' sound and collapsed again.

Kaen looked furious, but it was Chuin's expression that chilled Genrou to the bone. The woman looked - hungry, was the only word for it. Her eyes were wide and sparkling, her lips slightly parted, and her chest rose and fell with her excited breathing. She looked like she was ready to jump him and screw him right there on the floor. Genrou took an unconcious step back.

Kaen sneered at her fallen lackeys and grabbed her friend's shoulder. "Don't think this is over yet, little worm. Come on, Chuin. Obviously, we need to find better brutes."

Chuin resisted momentarily, still staring at Genrou with that lustful look in her eyes. Then she acquiesced to Kaen's tugging and followed her friend quietly out of the bathroom. Just before the door swung shut behind them, she glanced over her shoulder and murmured. "Kaen's right. It's not over yet - you WILL be mine."

Genrou stood, shivering, for several moments after they had gone. He felt distinctly nauseous, and thought he just might be sick to his stomach. No one had ever looked at him in such a predatory way, as if he were something to be owned and USED. He was beginning to get an inkling of why Kenji had told him not to fight back.

Finally, he made his way back to his room, stumbling slightly as he went. Momentarily forgetting that the doors automatically locked, he twisted futilely at the knob for a moment, half leaning against the door for support.

The door abruptly opened, spilling his weight into the room - and into the warm, solid chest of his roommate. Startled, he looked up, to see dark brown eyes with a shadowed hint of concern in them.

"Got beat up?" Houjun asked softly, drawing the stunned boy into the room and shutting the door behind him. His good eye gave the younger teen a quick going over.

Genrou shook his head, some of the colour returning to his face now that he was 'safe' in his room. "Naw. Take more than three useless goons to take me down." He shivered, remembering again the look in Chuin's eyes.

"Then what? You look like you've just seen your own grave."

Genrou sank down onto his bed, pulling one knee up to his chest and wrapping his arms around it for comfort. "It's nothing, man. Nothing I can't handle."

"You had a run in with Kaen and Chuin," Houjun guessed shrewdly, leaning back against the door. He crossed his arms, pulling his t-shirt tight against his shoulders and biceps - a fact which Genrou, even in his distraught state, took unconscious note of.

"Good guess," Genrou gave him a weak fanged grin. "Yeah. No big deal, though. They didn't even touch me."

Houjun sighed, perching on the edge of his bed, facing the other boy. "You beat up their goons, didn't you. Didn't anybody warn you to let them just do what they wanted?"

Some of Genrou's normal fiery spirit returned. "YOU don't let them push you around. Why should I just turn belly up and let them have their way with me?"

Houjun looked unaccountably sad. "I get away with it because they're afraid of me. You're just another newbie - and now you've got their attention. They don't appreciate being made to look silly - which you undoubtedly just did." Rising to his feet, he began to pace restlessly. "And it's not going to help that you're my roommate. They may try to get at me through you, if they think I care at all about what happens to you."

"Do you?" Genrou blurted, then bit his tongue and cursed silently.

Houjun turned a startled look on him. "I..." He paused, thoughtfully, then continued slowly, looking away. "I guess I do. I didn't think I would - but you're not such a bad kid. I don't want to be responsible for causing you trouble."

There was an infinitely sad look in his eye, and Genrou shifted uncomfortably. Once again, he was possessed with a driving urge to comfort and protect the older boy.

Squashing it harshly, he replied flippantly. "Man, they can't throw anything at me that I can't handle. I'll just keep beating up their goons, and eventually, they'll get tired of looking silly and leave me alone."

Snorting, Houjun turned to face out the window. "It's not that simple. Once they realize their brutes can't take you - and I have little doubt that you can handle their lackeys - they'll turn to other methods. Nasty ones. They aren't above cheating and sneaking to get what they want."

Genrou shrugged easily, though the image of Chuin's lustful gaze still haunted him. "Let 'em try."

Houjun shook his head. "May Suzaku take pity on you," he murmured, and turned to sit in front of his laptop.

Genrou stared at him. "What did you say?" He blurted. The words - particularly that name - rang through his head with the strength of a gong. Though he was fairly certain he'd never heard of a god named Suzaku, the name struck a chord all through his body. He could practically feel himself vibrating with it.

Houjun gave him an odd look. "I said, 'May the gods take pity on you," he replied.

Genrou shook his head. "Nuh-uh. You said, 'Suzaku'. Who's Suzaku?"

A strange look passed over Houjun's face - much the same as Genrou imagined his face had looked moments before. "I... I don't know. I think it's the name of one of four gods from an old Chinese legend." He shrugged uneasily. "But I don't know what possessed me to use it. I don't believe in any gods, much less forgotten ones."

Both boys stared at each other, as the harsh cry of a strange bird sounded in the distance.

 

* * *

"I'm tellin' ya, man, it really creeped me out!" Genrou exclaimed to Kouji at lunch the next day. "It was like - I knew exactly what he was feeling, and he knew exactly what I was. Really fucked up."

Kouji shrugged, taking a massive bite out of his hamburger. He chewed and swallowed, then commented, "You're always having déjà vu, Gen-chan. 'S why your sister keeps insisting you must have lived a past life, remember?"

Genrou growled. "Yeah, yeah, I remember. Don't remind me. I don't believe in that reincarnation crap."

Kouji grinned. "Well, it IS an explanation for why every time you turn around, you find something else familiar."

Genrou bit into his own dinner, but unlike the more mannered Kouji, didn't wait to swallow before continuing. "Yeah, well... it's never been this strong before. And as if that weren't bad enough, now I keep having these weird dreams of a red peacock, and a little, blue haired chibi with fox eyes!"

Kouji blinked at him. "Chibi? You mean, one of those super-cute things from your shoujo manga?" Genrou nodded. "And a red peacock? Man, Gen-chan, you are really fucked up, you know that?" He easily ducked the punch Genrou threw his way.

Min was watching all this with wide eyes. "You read shoujo manga, Genrou?" he asked, giggling quietly. Genrou turned bright red.

"Yeah, well, I collect them, ya know? I got nearly a thousand manga, from all kinds of different genres." He shifted uncomfortably on the bench.

"Got any shounen ai?" Kenji teased as he sat down and joined the conversation. Genrou jumped and tried not to look guilty.

Kouji came to his 'rescue'. "Hell, of course he does. Do you know how much some of those things are WORTH? Genrou would be fucking rich if he sold them all, and he got them back when they were still in print, and therefore cheap."

Min giggled again. "I never pictured you as the shonen ai type, Genrou. Although, they do say it's the most masculine ones that have those tendencies..."

Genrou continued to splutter and stammer, while the others laughed at him. But when it became apparent that they were just teasing him good-naturedly, he dared to respond.

"Yeah, so what if I do? Kouji's right, some of that stuff is worth a lot. Besides, it was fun watching my ma's face when she found it the first time." He and Kouji shared a grin at the memory.

As they continued to banter and tease one another, Genrou started to relax and enjoy himself. He'd never had a close friend other than Kouji before, but he found easy-going Kenji and mischievous Min to be utterly likable.

He glanced up and saw Houjun standing with his tray not far away, obviously looking for a place to sit. Without thinking, he called out, "Ne, Houjun! We got space."

That earned him a startled glance from his roommate, and wary looks from his two tablemates. With a glance towards Kenji and Min, almost as if he were asking permission, Houjun made his way through the crowd to their table and sat next to Genrou.

"Thanks," he murmured quietly, and started eating his pasta and salad. There was an uneasy silence for a moment, then Kouji asked Kenji a question about the science class they apparently shared, and conversation began again. Houjun remained quiet, mostly just listening, though he would occasionally make an insightful comment or answer a question Kenji didn't know the answer to.

Though Genrou often gave off the appearance of being not the brightest bunny in the world, he was actually quite observant, and very intelligent. Houjun was proving himself to be very knowledgeable about many subjects, and his quiet comments were always to the point and right on target. He watched as Kenji and Min slowly relaxed - and watched as Houjun relaxed equally as much. _He's... he's afraid to make friends,_ Genrou realized. _He's afraid people will reject him, so he creates this aloof attitude to protect himself. But, really, he's just as lonely as anyone else._

Flashing a fanged grin at the table in general, he resolved to do his best to draw his taciturn roommie out of his self-imposed shell.

 

* * *

By the time midterms had rolled around, Genrou and Kouji had both settled in quite nicely. They'd learned which kids had bad attitudes and should be avoided, and which kids were open to making new friends, though they remained closest to Min, Kenji, and Naisu. By some miracle, Genrou had managed to avoid oversleeping again (by means of Houjun shaking him roughly awake every morning at 7:00) AND he hadn't had any further run ins with Kaen and Chuin. Smugly, he decided that his tactic of proving that they didn't intimidate him had worked after all.

The Sensei seemed to believe that the best way to teach a delinquent teen discipline, was to load them down with an impossible amount of work. Even weekends found most students studying hard, doing assignments, and researching projects. Though there was generally enough time to goof off with their friends every once in awhile, Genrou and Kouji hadn't had more than five minutes alone since the first day of class, and it was beginning to show.

In one of those rare moments, just before Genrou had to leave Kouji's room for the evening roll call, Kouji pinned the other teen up against the door and kissed him fiercely.

Both boys were panting hard when the kiss broke, and Genrou wrapped his arms around his friend's torso. "Damn, it's too hard to get away in this place! At least at home, we had our weekly 'sleepovers'!"

"You're feeling it too, huh? Kouji grinned sympathetically, and rubbed his groin against Genrou's. The friction between their erections was almost painful, and they both moaned.

"If you... mmmm, don't stop... if you keep that up... ahhh! I'll never make it back for... ooh... roll call," Genrou muttered, nipping sharply at Kouji's ear with his fangs.

Kouji grunted something incomprehensible in reply, and thrust against Genrou again. The red-head rocked back into the motion, setting up a rhythm that drove them both crazy, even through their jeans. Their hands wandered over one another's bodies, and lips met in a passionate kiss.

Genrou broke away with a desperate look at the clock. "I gotta go, buddy! I'll be in shit if I miss roll call."

Kouji made a frustrated noise, but made no move to release his friend. "Dammit, I don't want you to go! I need you, Gen-chan!"

Genrou gave him a fanged grin. "Ah, you just need a warm body. Yer nothing but a bunch of hormones, ya know that?" He ducked Kouji's wild punch - and ducked out from beneath his arms as well, to press up against him from behind.

Now he was the one pinning his friend to the door, his erection planted firmly in the soft part of Kouji's ass. "Meet me in the showers tomorrow morning," he murmured, while Kouji moaned at the pressure. "The alarms go off at 5:30, but nobody else will be up that early."

"You'll never wake up that early," Kouji commented, but he reluctantly opened the door to let Genrou out of the room.

Genrou tossed him a wink. "I'll find a way. On your floor, 5:30. Don't miss it!"

"Not for the world, buddy. Not for the world." Kouji gave him one last heated glance before he closed the door.

Genrou thanked his lucky stars that the hallways were mostly empty as he made his way back to his room. His tight jeans did little to conceal his raging erection, and he could only hope Houjun would be distracted as usual when he got back to the room.

No such luck. The older boy was indeed absorbed in yet another thick textbook, but he glanced up as his roommate came through the door. An amused glint was evident in his good eye, though nothing showed on his face, as he took in the younger boy's condition. Thankfully, he said nothing, only tossing him a wry grin before going back to his book.

Genrou debated running to the bathroom to change, and decided he didn't have enough time. Anyway, Houjun wasn't shy about changing in front of his roommate, so why should he be?

 _'Cause you've got a raging hard on, and the thought of Houjun changing in front of you isn't helping any!_ He answered his own question, blushing as a vivid image of Houjun, naked except for a towel, bending over to dig through one of his drawers, came to mind.

The call for lineup saved him from having to expose himself to his roommie. He lined up still fully dressed, answered to his name, muttered "Oyasumi nasai" with the rest of the hall, then waited till the lights were off before hastily changing and climbing into bed.

Houjun chuckled softly as Genrou settled in. "What're you laughin' at?" Genrou demanded, keeping his voice low.

"At you, what else?" the older boy replied. Genrou gave him a hard glare, which was lost in the darkness of the room. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, you know. Happens to the best of us."

"I'm glad you're so amused by all this," Genrou muttered, 'humph'ing and turning on his side when Houjun laughed outright. Sleep was long in coming, as his body eagerly anticipated the morning's activities.

 

* * *

Genrou awoke in much the same condition he'd gone to sleep in, his body tight and aching with desire. But it hadn't been Kouji's grinning face plastered all over his erotic dreams. It had been Houjun's beautiful, scarred visage that he saw, twisted in ecstasy as Genrou pumped into him, bringing them both to completion.

Genrou felt his body tighten further at the image and bit his fist to try to stifle a moan. He'd been dreaming about Houjun nearly every night since he'd first gotten to the school - interspersed with those strange dreams about the bird and the chibi. He realized now, with a start, that in his erotic dreams, Houjun looked very different then he did in real life. The face and the scar were the same - but his hair was that same light blue, gravity defying style that the chibi wore.

 _What the fuck - I'm having wet dreams about CHIBIES now?_ Genrou quietly swung his feet off the bed and checked the alarm clock.

5:30 exactly. He grinned, exposing his fangs. When he wanted to, he could tell his body to wake up at any time, and he would. He supposed he should probably use the ability to wake up on time for class, but to tell the truth, he enjoyed having Houjun shake him awake. It was a chance to be near the older boy, without him suspecting Genrou's real interest.

 _Man, you have got it SO bad, Gen-chan_ he chuckled to himself as he crept across the room towards the door. Checking to make certain Houjun was still sleeping, Genrou stood, stunned for a moment by the vision before him.

Houjun was apparently a restless sleeper, as the covers were twisted around his body. He'd thrown them away from him, exposing his upper chest and stomach. Pale moonlight drifted through the window, highlighting the sharp planes and valleys of his muscled body. There was an odd expression on his face, and he was panting softly, caught in the throes of some dream.

Genrou's mouth went momentarily dry, as his eyes feasted on that gorgeous expanse of chest. He felt irresistibly drawn to the older boy, like a moth to a flame. He had to fight the urge to go over and plant his own lips on that incredible mouth. Houjun moaned softly and murmured a name, and Genrou blushed as he abruptly realized just what kind of dream the other boy was having.

Face flaming and body raging, he slipped quickly out the door and made his way down the hallway to the stairs. He tried VERY hard not to think about the incredibly erotic picture Houjun had made, sprawled out over his bed in wonton abandonment, calling the name of his dream lover.

"I wonder who 'Tasuki' is, anyway," Genrou murmured aloud as he made his way to the third floor bathroom. "Never met anybody here with that name." He pushed open the door and looked around cautiously. Seeing no one, he stepped inside.

And was promptly jumped by the figure who'd been hiding behind the door. For a moment, he struggled wildly, thinking it some kind of attack. Then he caught a glimpse of Kouji's dark blue hair, and relaxed, snuggling back into the embrace of his friend.

"Well, what do you know, you made it after all!" Kouji exclaimed, nibbling on Genrou's ear. Genrou elbowed him lightly, then turned in his embrace to take his lips in a passionate kiss.

"Well? What are we waiting for?" He asked, lust shining in his amber eyes. Taking Kouji by the hand, he tugged him in the direction of the showers.

While the water warmed, the two boys made a production of stripping one another, taking their time and enjoying every inch of flesh revealed. By the time the water was heated, both boys were fully erect, impatient to get on to the good stuff, yet wanting to take the time to enjoy this rare opportunity to be together. They grinned as they stepped into the warm spray.

Water slick bodies slid together as they washed each other in a ritual developed over two years of trial and error. They knew exactly where to touch, where to rub, and where to stroke to cause the other a maximum amount of pleasure. Genrou bit at Kouji's collarbone in a moment of passion, then licked at the small beads of blood in silent apology. Kouji nearly tore the showerhead off its fixture, clutching at it like a lifeline as Genrou swallowed him whole and brought him to orgasm with the expertise of long practice. Genrou shivered when the cold tile wall met his back as Kouji returned the favour, feeling the heat pulse through his body with a familiar beat.

For once, they didn't have to worry about the water running cold on them in the middle of their playing, and they took their time, enjoying themselves - and each other - thoroughly. Light, teasing touches in just the right places soon had them ready for another go. Teenage bodies, denied release for over a month, demanded satisfaction.

Kouji proved, once again, that he was the more organized of the two, as he fished a small tube from his discarded pajama's pocket. Genrou grinned at him. "Fight ya for it," He murmured, and promptly tackled Kouji.

The two boys squirmed and wrestled for control of the tube, gasping and panting as their heated bodies were rubbed together by the action. It was a familiar game; though neither particularly minded being uke, both possessed inherently seme tendencies, and preferred being in control.

Kouji won the short battle by means of wrapping his fist around Genrou's erection and pumping, causing the other boy to gasp and go limp for a moment. He snatched the tube out of Genrou's reach triumphantly, laughing at his friend's pout.

"You cheated," Genrou muttered, giving in gracelessly.

"'Course I did," Kouji replied, twisting the cap off with a practiced flip of his wrist. "Wouldn't be any fun, otherwise. Now turn around."

Genrou obeyed, crossing his arms on the wall and leaning his forehead against them, welcoming the feel of the cool tiles against his heated cheeks. He gasped as Kouji inserted a well-lubricated finger deep inside him, sliding in easily. Two more fingers were added, stretching him in preparation, and he moaned and thrust back against that incredible pressure.

Then Kouji was pressed up against him from shoulder to knee, his erection hot and hard at Genrou's entrance. "You ready, buddy?" came the soft murmur, and Genrou nodded, helpless before the incredible pleasure his best friend created in him.

Kouji slid in slowly, filling Genrou and making it feel as if he'd been empty, incomplete before. He cried out softly at the incredible sensation, and Kouji chuckled in his ear. "I don't know why you always fight me so hard for control, Gen-chan." The blue-haired boy commented. "You always seem to enjoy it so much when I take you." He thrust gently, and Genrou cried out again, biting his lip. "Yer so damn sensitive!"

"Only you, buddy," Genrou rasped, his throat tight with emotion. "Only you can do this to me." Kouji thrust again, brushing against the place deep within Genrou's body that always set of sparks and fireworks. The other boy began to thrust in earnest, driving into his friend's body with forceful strokes.

A keening whine escaped Genrou as he fought to keep from yelling. He was not a naturally quiet person during sex, and it was always a battle to keep from screaming his pleasure and alerting their parents - or the whole damn school, in this case - as to just what the two boys did with and to each other in their spare time.

Kouji grunted and caught his breath, his body tensing against Genrou's. "Gen-chan..." his voice was strained as he fought to keep control. "I can't hold out much longer..." He brought one hand down from where he was braced against the wall to wrap tightly around Genrou's erection.

Genrou howled softly as those magic fingers combined with the deep thrusts to send him flying over the edge, spurting his seed all over his friend's hand and the shower wall. His inner muscles clamped down on release, sending Kouji to completion with a soft cry.

Caught up in the whirlwind of sensation, Genrou felt like he was being swept along on a powerful tide of emotion. "CHICHIRI!" he nearly screamed, before going limp against the wall, exhausted.

Kouji panted behind him, his weight resting fully on Genrou, equally tired. Both boys moaned as he pulled out, turning Genrou to face him as he reached out and shut off the shower. Saved from drowning, the two boys collapsed helplessly to the floor, holding one another tight.

"Ya did it again," Kouji commented quietly, his head tucked against Genrou's chest.

"Hmmm?" Genrou cracked open a sleepy eye.

"Ya called out that name again. Who the hell is Chichiri, anyway?"

Genrou made a frustrated noise and raked his hand through his hair. "I don't know! I don't even know anybody with that name. And I have NO idea why I keep calling it out!" Unbidden, a sudden image of Houjun as he had appeared in his dreams flashed through his mind. He started.

"What?" Kouji raised his head to look him in the eye. "What did you just think of?"

Genrou blinked, then blushed. "I - nothing. It's nothing."

Kouji snorted, heaving himself off the floor and padding over to grab the towels. Tossing one to Genrou, he grinned as he rubbed at his short blue hair. "It wasn't nothing, or you wouldn't have jumped like that. Did you figure out who it is?"

"Well, I..." He blushed some more. He'd never hesitated to confess his fantasies to his friend before, nor did Kouji refrain from telling Genrou his. They'd long ago concluded that although they loved one another dearly, they weren't IN love with each other, and so would likely break up eventually. "I've... been dreaming about Houjun, lately," he muttered, somehow reluctant to tell his friend. It just... FELT different, this time.

"Houjun?" Kouji blinked in surprise. "How long has that been going on? I mean, I guess he's cute and all, but that attitude..." He shrugged. "And the scar is pretty freaky, ya gotta admit."

"There's nothing wrong with his face," Genrou blurted out defensively, then looked as surprised as Kouji at what he'd said. "I mean... well, hell, I don't know what I mean, exactly. But... I don't mind his scar, so much." He grinned at his best friend, and thumbed the long line of rough tissue running down Kouji's own cheek. "Besides, you're hardly one to talk about scars."

Kouji snorted. "Huh. MINE happens to be a badge of honour, thank you very much!" He dropped the now wet towel, and started stepping back into his clothes. "But what does that have to do with this 'Chichiri'?"

Genrou shrugged, squeezing the water out of his ponytail and climbing back into his own sleeping pants. "I dunno. I just - thought of that dream, when you mentioned Chichiri this time."

"But why would he be connected with a name that you've called out on orgasm every time I've ever gotten you off?" Kouji wondered aloud. "Not that I'm jealous or anything - I got over feelin' bad about it a long time ago. But what the hell? You just met the guy!"

Genrou made a frustrated sound. "Dammit, I know that! It's like I keep saying - I swear, I know him from somewhere! But I KNOW I've never met him before!"

Kouji snorted. "Maybe your sister is right. Maybe you were lovers in a past life."

Genrou threw the towel at his friend. "Don't you start." Laughing, they separated at the stairs with one last, passionate kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

Genrou sat in Literature, ignoring the teacher's exposition on Shakespeare - why did they have to study some dead English writer, anyway? - in favour of doodling in his notebook and brooding. Kouji was nowhere to be seen, and that made him extremely nervous. Had they been caught, after all? Had there been some kind of security system in the shower, and Kouji had been hauled off to be 'straightened out'? Genrou shuddered, remembering his mother's threats to send him to a shrink to 'straighten him out' when she'd first found his shounen ai manga.

This school had an extremely harsh reputation, but so far, other than the bathroom-cleaning incident, neither Genrou nor Kouji had seen any of that infamous 'discipline'. Sure, they'd been careful to keep their noses clean - who wouldn't, under these circumstances? But would they really take action because of what the two boys had been doing in the shower that morning? And if so, why hadn't they come for Genrou himself?

 _Maybe 'cause I was uke, so they thought he was forcing himself on me or something? Dammit, they didn't do anything when Kaen and Chuin had their goons try to beat me up. And it was pretty obvious that I wasn't objecting to what Kouji was doin' to me._ His body tightened again just remembering, and he harshly squashed the erotic memories.

Stifling a yawn, Genrou tried to focus on the lecture to no avail. He glanced down at his notebook, to find that a new element had added itself to his random doodling. In addition to the character for 'wing' and that strange, sweeping bird, the character for 'well' now appeared, along with a rough drawing of that weird little chibi. _'Well'? What the hell? Where'd that come from? And what the HELL is up with that damn chibi?_ Snorting in disgust, Genrou shook his head.

Letting his thoughts drift once again, Genrou found his mind returning to his roommate once more. Houjun, as he had looked that morning, sprawled over his bed, panting softly and moaning another's name. Genrou gritted his teeth as his body tightened further. _Dammit. I've got stop obsessing over him, I'm gonna get myself in trouble. Gods knows I can never keep my big mouth shut! He's not even all THAT cute!_ His libido disagreed with him, providing mental images of how Houjun might have looked, writhing and panting under HIM.

 _Grrrr. Damn, I want him. BAD. What is it about him, anyway? Why am I so damn drawn to him?_ Glancing down at his notebook again, he found that he was now intertwining the two kanji characters, with little hearts and '+' symbols. _Ah, what the hell? This is nuts. Heh. Maybe my sister's right, and I really DO know him from a past life, and these symbols are our names, or something._ Glancing out the window, he stared blankly at the beautiful mountain landscape just a few miles away.

_Grumbling, he scrambled up the steep incline behind his friend. Ahead of him, the monk bounced along effortlessly, humming and grinning and generally being his normal cheerful self. Swearing, he tripped over an exposed root and hung for a moment, poised to fall backwards down the mountain. Spinning, the blue-haired monk grabbed his arm and hauled him back to safety. There was a look of gentle reproach, smothered with affection, in the single warm, brown eye._

"Ne, Tasuki, you really should be more careful no da!"

Genrou jumped in his seat as the bell rang, startling him out of his daydream. Blinking, grateful the Sensei hadn't called on him while he was in lala-land, he hastily shoved his notebook in his bag and scrambled for the door with the others. But the cheerful chattering of the other students around him did nothing to penetrate his thoughtful mood.

 _What was that all about? Felt like - a dream, or a really old memory. But I've never been to the mountains. And that was Houjun ahead of me, I think. Definitely his face, and that scar is unmistakeable. But what was with the funky clothes? And the hair? Dammit, he looked like that damn chibi again, except normal height!_ Shuffling into the cafeteria, he picked up a tray and got in line, still distracted. _What is it with me and chibis lately anyway?_

Spotting Kenji and Min at their usual table, he threaded his way through the crowd to join them. Glancing around, he noted that Kouji still hadn't shown up. "Oi, either of you two seen Kouji? He wasn't in Lit. class." He slung the tray onto the table and sat down.

The two boys exchanged glances. "We have science together first period," Kenji commented quietly. "He fell asleep in class, and the Sensei caught him. I was on the other side of the room, I couldn't do anything. I'm sorry, Genrou."

Genrou made a face. "Stupid baka. Well, come on, how bad can it be?" Seeing Min shift uncomfortably, and the downcast look in Kenji's eyes, he grew nervous. "Guys? Come on, quit it. Yer freakin' me out. How bad can it be?"

"Real bad," Min said shortly, then turned to his food and refused to say more, no matter how Genrou tried to draw him out. Kenji also picked at his food in uncharacteristic silence.

As the lunch hour dragged out and his two friends refused to look him in the eye, Genrou grew more and more frantic. He seriously debated skipping his afternoon classes to check on his friend, and some of his thoughts must have shown in his expression, for Kenji grabbed him by the arm and held on tightly.

"Don't even think about skipping class, Genrou!" the older boy hissed quietly, his eyes darting from side to side as if he was afraid someone would overhear them. "You'll be in even worse trouble than he is, now."

"Besides," Min sighed. "They won't be finished with him yet. You can check on him after class. Look, I know we're making you nervous, but I lived through it, and so will he."

"Oh, did one of the worms get into trouble?" Genrou stiffened at the now-familiar, smirking alto voice.

"Poor baby," Chuin agreed with her friend, as they lounged back against the table behind the three boys. "Oh, look, the other little worm is nearly frantic with worry." The predatory glint in her eyes was stronger than ever, and Genrou unconsciously winced away from her.

"Fuck off," he muttered. Min gave a little 'eep'ing sound, and Kenji gaped at his audacity. Kaen's eyes narrowed in anger, but the hunger in Chuin's gaze only became stronger. "Just go the hell away and find someone else to 'play' with. I ain't in the mood."

Genrou saw Kaen's hand flying at his face with more than enough time to block it - but sat, stunned, as Chuin got there first. Eyes narrowed, the gray-haired woman leaned in close to her best friend. "DON'T mark him, Kaen. Not even a bruise. You always get to have fun with the newbies. I want this one!"

Kaen turned a surprised face to her companion. "Oh? You should have said so. You so rarely take a direct interest, I didn't realize you had your eye on this one." She turned a falsely-sympathetic smile on Genrou. "Poor little worm. At least I usually leave my toys in one piece." Laughing, she turned away. "He's all yours, Chuin. Don't have too much fun all at once, okay? You know how disappointed you are when you break your toys too quickly."

Genrou's face was bright red with suppressed fury by this time, and he was shaking with anger. Leaping to his feet, he practically shouted into Chuin's face. "I am not some fucking plaything, get it? I ain't intimidated by you, and I ain't gonna dance to your tune. So you can just go screw yerself! I..." he stopped, shivering, as the lustful golden gaze caught him with a near hypnotic effect.

Paralysed, he found he couldn't move as the woman leaned in until her face was only inches away from his. "So very passionate," she murmured in that strange tenor voice. "So full of fire. I like to play with fire, I really do. Struggle all you like, little worm, you're just pushing the hook in deeper."

Genrou took a deep breath, and forced himself to look away, breaking the strange spell. When he brought his gaze back, he found he was able to look at her without fear once more. "Fuck. Off." He said, making each word sharp and distinct.

Chuin laughed in utter delight, sending chills running up and down Genrou's spine. "How proud you are! I will so enjoy breaking that spirit of yours." Grasping his chin in a hard fist, with a strength seemingly at odds with her delicate looking body, she forced Genrou's face to hers, catching his lips in a bruising kiss.

Yelling in outrage, he planted his hands on her shoulders and shoved her off of him. Wiping his mouth in utter disgust, he ignored her laughter and grabbed his lunch tray, motioning to the frozen Kenji and Min with a jerk of his head. "Come on, guys, the warning bell already rang. Let's get to class." Moving off without looking back to see if his friend were following, Genrou tried very hard to shake the feeling that he'd just painted a giant bulls-eye directly in the center of his back.

 

* * *

He didn't even stop to drop of his books before racing to Kouji's room after class. The door was shut and locked, and there was no response to his repeated pounding. As he stood there, staring at the wall in frustration, Naisu approached and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"He's asleep, and its probably best if he stays that way for now," she murmured quietly to him.

Genrou gave her a frustrated look. "What the hell did they DO to him, Naisu?"

Her face was sad, as she shook her head. "You don't want to know, Genrou. Let this be a lesson to both of you."

He pounded his fist against the wall. "Dammit, I wanna see him! I need to know that he's okay!"

She gave him an oddly considering look. "You two, you really care about one another, don't you?" she asked. "As more than friends, I mean."

Genrou's eyes went wide, and he back peddled furiously, trying to work his way out of the situation. "Wh-what do you mean? Hell, we're best buddies, our moms shared the same damn hospital room when we were born. Inseparable, ya know? I just..."

She grinned at him suddenly. "Oh, it's okay. I'll keep your secret. I think it's cute." She sighed. "And lord knows, he's gonna need someone to support him right now. Okay, I'll let you in, but you have to promise not to tell ANYone that I did it, okay?"

He nodded solemnly, and watched as she drew out a large keyring identical to the one Mamoru had used to let him into his room on the first day. Glancing around to be certain no one was watching, she cracked the door open and let him slide inside. As she shut the door behind him, she whispered, "Don't keep him awake too long. He needs his rest, if he's gonna make it to class tomorrow. And he'd BETTER make it to class tomorrow!"

"Yeah, yeah, I gotcha." Genrou muttered as the door clicked shut behind him.

The lighting was dim, the sunlight being filtered through a heavy screen that hadn't been there before. Genrou automatically started to flip on the lights, then reflected that the room was probably dark for a reason. Moving forward, he felt his way to the end of the bed.

"Ne, Kouji?" He hadn't meant to whisper, but his voice came out quietly anyway. The only answer was a soft moan from the heap of blankets on the bed.

Genrou sat on the edge of the bed tentatively, and reached out a shaking hand to clasp what he was pretty sure was his buddy's shoulder. "Kou-chan? It's me, Gen..."

A strangled shriek cut him off, as Kouji jerked away from his light touch. His voice sounded as if it had been completely worn out, and Genrou's eyes widened in horror as the bedsheets fell away from him.

His chest and shoulders were covered in dark purple bruises, some of which were oozing blood slowly. Each mark was long and thin, as if he'd been hit repeatedly with a narrow, solid object. The worst of the wounds had been dressed, but most of them were open to the air.

Wild brown eyes met Genrou's amber gaze, but Kouji seemed not to see him. "Yamero!" He cried, his voice hardly more than a whisper though he was obviously trying to scream.

Nearly in tears, Genrou stared helplessly at his friend. "Kouji! Kouji, it's me, Genrou! Snap out of it, buddy!"

With a shuddering sob, sense returned to Kouji's eyes. "Ge-genrou?" he croaked, his voice raw. His fists clenched in the sheets. "I'm back in my room?"

"What the hell did they DO to ya, Kouji?" Genrou nearly wailed.

Kouji gave a half-laugh, half-sob, and buried his face in his hands. Genrou winced in sympathy as he saw more of the horrible marks across his friend's back. "They - caned me, I think. I'm not really sure, it's all kinda fuzzy - all I can really remember is how much it hurt..." He began to tremble, his breath hitching.

Instinctively, Genrou wrapped his friend in a comforting embrace, only to pull away, swearing, when Kouji cried out in pain. Holding the other boy's hands in his own, he murmured useless reassurances over and over.

"Yer safe, Kouji. It's okay now. They're not gonna hurt ya anymore. Dammit, buddy, look at me! It's okay! I won't let 'em hurt ya like that ever again, I swear!"

"NO!" Kouji's eyes were wild again as he stared at Genrou. "Gen-chan, don't fight them! Whatever you do, don't fight them! They'll do it to you, too!"

"Whoa, whoa! Calm down, buddy! They ain't gonna do nothin' to me!"

Kouji gripped his arms with bruising force, shaking him for added emphasis. "Promise me! Gen-chan, promise me you won't do ANYTHING to piss them off!"

Genrou trembled, tears of pure fury in his eyes, to see his normally proud friend brought to such a level. Whatever they had done to him, it went far beyond a mere physical beating. He was fairly certain his spirit wasn't broken, but it was a damn near thing.

"All right, buddy. If it means that much to ya, I promise. I promise I won't to anything to get in trouble."

Kouji slumped back into the pillows, sighing with relief. There were tears in his eyes. "Genrou - it was awful. I don't know what the fuck they did to me - I mean, I've been beat up before, I can handle pain, but this - this was nuts. Every minute stretched on for hours, it was like time had slowed down to let me feel every bit of the pain."

Genrou could feel Kouji's hands trembling in his, and he bit down on his lip to keep from crying. "I'm here for ya, buddy. Just hang in there, it's gonna be okay."

He held Kouji's hands while the other boy fell into a fitful sleep, stroking his forehead to calm him when he cried out from his nightmares. By the time he had fallen into a true, restful sleep, it was nearly 6 o'clock.

Genrou stood quietly, disentangling his fingers from Kouji, careful not to wake him. He opened the door silently, slipped out, and shut the door just as quietly, then turned and marched back to his room.

The utter fury in his narrowed hazel eyes, along with his clenched fists and fang-baring snarl, must have conveyed his feelings adequately to the other students, because they gave him a wide berth. From her doorway, Naisu muttered "He's excused from dinner, but you're not. Don't forget, Genrou!" as he passed her.

He shot her a death glare, and she actually took a step back, her face startled. He said not a word as he continued on his way, taking each step with measured preciseness.

By the time he got to his room and was standing with his back against the door, staring unseeingly out his window, his entire body was trembling with suppressed rage. Houjun looked up from his laptop, surprised at hearing nothing but silence from his normally cheerful roommate, and actually flinched at his appearance.

"What happened?" The older boy jumped to his feet and approached Genrou.

"That's what I'd like to know," Genrou snarled, clenching his fists before him. "Kouji fell asleep in class this morning," he said, his voice now sounding almost casual.

Houjun turned pale. "Oh."

"Oh?" Genrou turned blazing eyes on his roommate. "OH? ALL YOU CAN SAY IS OH?" His voice rising with every word, he was soon shouting. "THEY FUCKING WHIPPED HIM, HOUJUN!"

The older boy bowed his head, his expression sad. "You were warned," was all he said, as he turned away.

Genrou grabbed him by the shoulder and hauled him back around. "Warned? What the fuck? They can't do this shit! It's fucking illegal! You can't just beat the hell out of somebody because they fell asleep in a fucking CLASS, Houjun!"

"Yes, they can. And they will continue to get away with it, because the police and the lawyers don't care what they do to us here. You were told that on your first day here." There was a sad expression in his chocolate brown eye.

Genrou sputtered. "But - but they CAN'T! They just CAN'T! It's not fair! It's CRAZY!"

"Nobody said life was fair, Genrou." Houjun tried to break away, but Genrou tightened his grip.

"I know life ain't fair, but this is nuts! He was beaten black and blue, Houjun! He's bleeding! And I dunno WHAT the hell they did to his mind, but he's nearly broken!"

"Then he's lucky," Houjun replied, and managed to tear himself out of Genrou's grasp at the other boy's surprise.

"What the hell do you mean, he's LUCKY?" Genrou demanded.

Houjun sighed. "Most people DO break." He moved to stare out the window, where rain was dripping from the eaves.

Genrou just stared at him, jaw open in shock. He shook his head slowly. "I don't get it. You, the guy who refuses to take shit from Kaen and Chuin, are just standing here telling me that you won't stand up to this fucking school?"

Houjun snorted. "Kaen and Chuin are just sick little teens, playing sick little games. The school has POWER over us, Genrou. Power that we can't fight. Our parents gave it to them, the courts gave it to them, and if we say anything against it, they WILL recommend that we be sent to prison for 'further correctional efforts'." His face was pale, and that terrible, haunted look was back in his eye.

Slowly, some of the rage drained from Genrou, and he moved to sink down onto the bed, head in his hands, his fingers fisted in his long hair. "I just can't believe this is actually happening. I mean, what the hell did they DO to him, Houjun? Kouji's a tough guy, he can take a lot of shit. But he was scared silly - his voice was totally gone from screaming!"

Never taking his gaze from the rain, Houjun answered slowly. "I'm not sure exactly what they do. Some people speculate that it's an experimental drug, meant to stimulate the pain centers and accentuate the punishment. Others insist it's some kind of hypnosis. Anyone who digs too deeply, tends to get charges trumped up on them, and they get hauled away for 'punishment' - and they never complain or question again."

"And yet you still say prison is worse than this? They're BEATING us, Houjun! Last I heard, they stopped doing that in prison years ago!"

A brief spasm of pain flitted over the older boy's face. "There are worse things in the world than a physical beating, Genrou."

"Worse than some kind of mind-altering drug?" he demanded hotly. He jumped to his feet, pacing back and forth in front of his roommate. "What the hell could possibly be worse than having them fuck with your head?"

Houjun shook his head and refused to answer. Genrou blew his breath out in frustration, ruffling his long bangs. "Dammit, this is insane." Glancing at the clock, he sighed, and headed for the door. "I'm going to dinner."

 

* * *

Min, Naisu and Kenji were still tiptoeing around him at dinner - and with good reason, Genrou reflected, fuming quietly. His formidable temper was primed and eager to blow, which showed in the restless energy that possessed him while he impatiently waited until he could leave the cafeteria.

As he stared blankly into his ramen, ignoring the chattering of other students around him, he let his mind drift again. The memory of the horrible wounds covering Kouji's torso made him shudder and clench his fists again.

 _Gods, those'll take WEEKS to heal, some of 'em. What if some of the goons try to catch him in a fight, in the meantime? There's always someone trying to prove they're better than us. He won't be able to protect himself! Dammit, and I can't be with him all the time._ He swirled the noodles with his chopsticks, and watched the patterns they made.

 _Heh, that almost looks like 'wing'... why do I have such an obsession for that kanji, anyway? Hey, there's 'well.' Hmph, pictured that damn chibi again. Whee, that one's 'fire'... I'm such a pyro. "Lekka shinen!" I wonder where I got that phrase from, anyway... I swear I picked it up from Kouji, but he insists he never heard of it before he heard me use it. Still, it sounds cool if you shout it right before you punch someone. Hmmm... that one could almost be... 'rare cart'..._ he sighed heavily. _Yeah, too bad Mits isn't here, he could just heal Kouji and then everything would be... Aaaa! What the hell am I talking about? Who the hell is 'Mits'?!_

Shaking his head at his own fancifulness, he slurped up his soup. _First 'wing' and that damn bird thing, then screaming 'Chichiri' every time I come - poor Kouji, took him a long time to get over that - then it's 'well' and blue-haired chibies with Houjun's face. And now someone named 'Mits' who can heal people? Fuck, man, Kouji's right. I'm getting weirder by the day._

With a growl and a glance at the clock, he snatched up his tray. "I'm goin' to check on Kouji again," he muttered, ignoring the feeble attempts by his friends to get him to stay longer. Scraping his plate into the garbage and dumping his tray on the table by the door, he headed for the dorm wing of the school building.

With dinner in full swing, the hallways were nearly silent. Only an occasional sensei or janitor could be seen as he made his way to his friend's room. Only when he got there did he realize that he needed Naisu to let him in. Cursing, he kicked the wall and shoved his hands in his pockets.

A moment later, the door swung open to reveal Kouji, still looking fairly battered but much better than he had earlier, leaning against the doorjamb. "Figured that'd be you, Genrou," he said. His voice showed no trace of it's earlier roughness.

Genrou gaped at his best friend in disbelief. Most of the horrid marks had faded to that sickly greenish yellow bruises turn when they're nearly faded. His eyes were clear and free from pain. In short, it looked as if the beating had been several weeks ago, not earlier that day.

"Wh-what happened to you?" he murmured, slipping inside and allowing Kouji to close the door behind him. He accepted the hug the other teen gave him without protest, but he felt numb with shock.

"Didn't you hear?" Kouji pulled away and flopped down on the bed. "I got caught sleeping in class."

Genrou snorted. "I know THAT, baka." Seeing Kouji's surprised look, he added, "Don't ya remember? I was here after class. I held ya till ya fell asleep."

Kouji shook his head. "Nope. Don't remember. All I remember is coming back after, crawling into bed and falling asleep."

"Well, you looked like shit," Genrou stated bluntly. "Real bad shit. And now you look like you got beat up weeks ago! I don't get it! How come yer healing so fast?"

Kouji blinked at him in surprise. "Huh? It wasn't that bad. Pretty damn rough, for just falling asleep in class, but not all that bad. I've been beat up worse by the school bullies."

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Genrou tried to organize his thoughts. Slowly, he laid out the facts as he saw them. "Kouji, not two hours ago, those marks were deep purple, and some of 'em were bleeding. You were nearly incoherent with fear when I touched ya. Ya were trembling and almost crying, and you made me promise that I wouldn't do anything to get in trouble, ever." He lifted his eyes to meet his friend's disbelieving gaze. "And now, yer practically fine. A few old-looking bruises. But you say you don't remember seeing me earlier tonight, and now you say that the beating wasn't all that bad."

He jumped to his feet and began to pace, winding his fingers through his long hair absently. "I don't get it. I just don't get it!"

Kouji wrinkled his nose. "Well, I certainly don't FEEL as if I were beaten as badly as you say, Gen-chan. Maybe you were just really worried, so you saw things that weren't there?"

Genrou swung around to face him, fists clenched. "I sure as hell didn't imagine you cringin' away from me, crying out 'cause it hurt too much when I touched you! I didn't make up you beggin' me not to get in trouble! And I didn't exaggerate the way everyone has been tiptoeing around - Min, Kenji, Naisu, hell, even HOUJUN was upset when he heard you'd fallen asleep in class. He said ya'd be lucky if yer spirit wasn't broken completely!"

Kouji shook his head from side to side slowly. "Genrou - man, I don't know what to tell ya. I remember them takin' me into this room, and using a long, ruler type thing ta beat me. But it wasn't that bad. Like I said, I've been beat up worse by school bullies. And I sure don't remember you being in my room earlier."

"Drugs," Genrou muttered suddenly. "They must have drugged you. Kouji, LOOK at your chest! Those are really bad bruises - but they look weeks old! How the hell did that happen?"

Kouji shrugged. "Damned if I know. Genrou, I think you're blowing the whole thing out of proportion." His posture was relaxed and his face open, but deep inside his brown eyes, Genrou swore he saw a flicker of suppressed fear.

He sighed and slumped against the wall, momentarily defeated. "I dunno, man. I just don't know."


	5. Chapter 5

Things were strained between Genrou and Kouji after that. Although his friend continued to insist that nothing of major importance had happened to him, Kouji's eyes had taken on a frightened look deep within them, similar to that of a badly abused animal. Genrou merely growled and avoided him, when it became obvious that Kouji was refusing to talk to him about it.

Houjun continually tried to convince him to leave well enough alone, but Genrou was having none of it. Finally he exploded one night, while Houjun was lecturing him once again to stop poking his nose into the school's disciplinary measures.

"If you won't help me, then why don't you just fucking leave me alone!" He yelled, jumping up from his desk and shoving his face into Houjun's. The other boy blinked, apparently surprised by the outburst, but Kouji would have recognized Genrou's famed temper coming into play.

"I AM trying to help you," Houjun insisted, refusing to back away from Genrou, though there was less than half a foot of space between them. "I'm helping you by convincing you not to get yourself into trouble."

"I need to find out what they HELL they did to my best friend, Houjun!" Genrou snarled, waving his hands at the copy of the school regulations he'd been reading. "It doesn't say anything in here about drugs or hypnotism or whatever. They're screwing us, man!"

Houjun raked a hand through his longish hair, frustrated. "Genrou, you're only going to get yourself in trouble. Do you want to end up like Kouji, hell, like everybody else in this damn school, shying away from shadows while insisting that there's nothing wrong?"

Genrou poked at his chest triumphantly. "See? You DO admit there's more going on here than they're admitting."

Houjun's good eye narrowed. "Yes, there is. You and I are two of the few people in this school who HAVEN'T been 'punished', and I'm trying to keep it that way! I don't want to see that same damn look in your eyes!"

Genrou shook his head. "Why the fuck do you care, anyway? You've done your good deed for the year, you've warned me, so what the hell does it matter to you what I do? Are they gonna punish you if I get in trouble?"

"NO!" Houjun nearly shouted. "That's not it at all! I'm doing it because I don't want you to get hurt, you idiot!"

"Why?" Genrou insisted. "What the hell do I mean to you? It's not like you care about me or anythi..."

Houjun cut him off with a vicious kiss, silencing him most effectively. He wasn't tender or gentle, using brutal force and grabbing Genrou's shoulders hard. Distantly, Genrou thought perhaps he was trying to scare him away, or perhaps scare himself out of doing it.

But Genrou was no stranger to rough kisses - he and Kouji had done a fair amount of damage to each other over the years, when their playing turned rough. He kissed back, his hands clutching at Houjun's shirt, his mouth opening beneath the older boy's onslaught and tongue warring for dominance.

He didn't know how long it went on, before Houjun pulled back abruptly, his good eye wild and expression shocked. Both of them were panting hard, trying to catch their breath and their equilibrium, as they stared at one another uncertainly. For good or for bad, their relationship had just been irrevocably changed, and life would never be the same again.

"Go-gomen!" Houjun finally stammered, whirling and bolting for the door before Genrou could move to stop him. As the door slammed shut behind him, Genrou lifted a shaking hand to trace his bruised lips, his eyes wide and wondering.

"He... kissed me," he murmured, as if saying it aloud would make it feel more real. "He actually kissed me."

 

* * *

Houjun didn't return until mere moments before roll call, and refused to look at or speak to his roommate at all. Genrou didn't press the issue, content to let Houjun have the time to think which he so obviously needed. It was fairly clear that the older boy had been utterly shocked by his actions, and Genrou knew from experience dealing with his own uncertainties that pushing now would only confuse Houjun more. If he wanted to have any chance with his roommate at all, he needed to back off and pretend nothing had happened.

But his dreams that night were some of the most erotic he had ever experienced in all his seventeen years, and he awoke hard and sweating, to find the room empty. The tangle of sheets on Houjun's usually immaculate bed gave him a clue that the older boy hadn't slept any better than he had, and he smiled in satisfaction.

He went through his classes in a daze that day, unable to focus on anything but that wild kiss. His thoughts were jumbled, and he could only assume that he gave the correct answers when the sensei called on him in class, because he couldn't remember for the life of him what he might have said. So distracted was he, that he didn't seen Chuin approaching him until he literally bumped into the upperclassman.

Eyes wide, he glanced around and realized the hallway was utterly empty, and that Chuin had a nasty smirk on her face. He scrambled backwards, but it was too late - one hand shot out to hold his head in place, while the other clamped a sickly-sweet smelling cloth to his face.

Trying not to breath, Genrou struggled uselessly. He could feel sense slipping away from him as the chloroform took effect, numbing his body and pushing his mind over into darkness. The last thought he had before passing out completely was a memory of Houjun's worried expression, the day he had first beat up Chuin's goons.

 

* * *

Genrou came to slowly, his mind still fuzzy and his vision blurred. There was a deep ache in his shoulders, and he realized why when he tried to move his arms to relieve it - they were fastened securely above his head, all his weight hanging from them. Shaking his head, he blinked several times, forcing his eyes to focus.

He was in a dim room, wrists tied together and hanging from a hook on the ceiling. His toes just barely brushed the floor, but his ankles were chained to rings in the floor, keeping him from moving his legs. His shoes had been removed, but the rest of his clothes were still present. Eyes going wide, he began to struggle wildly.

"Calm down, little worm," a distressingly familiar tenor spoke from behind him. Stilling his movements, Genrou craned his neck to see his tormentor.

Chuin smirked at him from across the room. "You're only making it worse by struggling, you know." Beside the kimono-clad woman, Kaen examined her nails, seemingly bored. She glanced up as her friend spoke.

"Oh, is he awake?" Her eyes lit up, and she smiled seductively at him. Genrou shivered, disgusted. "Goody. Now we get to have some fun."

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Genrou snarled at them. Or rather, he tried to - his mouth felt stuffed with cotton, his tongue a dead weight, and he was fairly certain he was sounding incoherent.

Kaen tilted her head a little. "Not quite awake, apparently. How much of that drug did you give him, Chuin?"

The grey-haired woman wrinkled her nose delicately. "Just enough to be certain he stayed out. I may have overdone it a little - he's so strong, I wanted to make sure he wouldn't wake up before we had him secured." Gliding forward, seeming to float rather than walk, she reached out to trail one long, sharp red nail down Genrou's chest, tracing the lines of the muscles beneath his tight t-shirt.

Squirming, Genrou tried to pull away from her touch. The hungry, lustful look was back in her golden eyes, holding him captive to her will. His body moved sluggishly, seeming to resist his efforts to deny her. She smiled, her expression predatory.

"Oh, yessss..." she hissed in excitement. "DO struggle more, little worm. I am SO going to enjoy breaking that pride of yours."

"Go to hell," Genrou managed, and spat in her face.

She reached up slowly, using the back of one delicate finger to wipe away the spittle. She held it before her eyes, seemingly fascinated - then suddenly lashed out, backhanding him across the face. Her sharpened nails left four tiny grooves in the skin of his cheek, aching dully.

Kaen paced up beside her friend, and Genrou got his first good look at her outfit in the dim light. She wore knee-high, stiletto-heeled 'bitch boots', as his sister Aidou called them, with silver, sharp looking edgings on the toe and heel. Tight, black leather pants - he had little doubt it was real leather - clung to her legs like a second skin. A heavy silver chain circled her waist, the free end trailing down to the floor. Her stomach and flat abs were exposed, showing a circular lightning-bolt tattoo around her navel, and a small, diamond stud in her bellybutton. He didn't doubt it was a real diamond, either. Her black, pvc top was low-cut and laced up the front, the laces straining to hold together, making it look as if her ample bust would burst free if she took too deep a breath. Her purple hair was coiled in an elaborate arrangement, framing her perfect, oval face before sweeping out behind her to nearly trail on the ground. In her hands she held a thin, black leather whip, with a sharp steel tip on the end.

She toyed with that steel tip, drawing across her full, red lips, trailing it down her throat and chest teasingly. Her eyes were heavy-lidded, and her breathing was a little heavy, as if she were already excited. "Ne, Chuin," she murmured, her voice a throaty, seductive purr that made him shiver despite himself. "Am I allowed to play with him at all? Or is this one only for you?"

Chuin smiled at her. "Of course you may play a little, Kaen. I wouldn't have invited you, otherwise. Aren't we friends? And don't friends always share their playthings?" She chuckled, the sound sending a different kind of shiver down Genrou's spine. "Just don't mark him until I say it's okay to do so, please."

Kaen snapped the whip a little, making Genrou jump. "Of course not." She placed the coils of the whip beneath Genrou's chin and forced his face up, leaning in closely and licking her lips in anticipation. "I hope you're going to be half as much fun as Chuin predicts, little worm," she murmured breathlessly. "Most of our toys break so easily, it's disappointing."

"Ch." Genrou seemed to have regained some control over his body, though he still couldn't free himself from the restraints. He turned his face away from Kaen. "You'll be disappointed all right, but not because I break too fast. I ain't afraid of you, and I ain't intimidated by you. So ya might as well save yerselves a heap of trouble, and just let me go now."

Chuin laughed in delight. "You see, Kaen? So very proud! Won't this be fun?" Smirking, Kaen nodded, and circled to Genrou's back. He tensed as he heard the sound of the whip snaking along the ground, then breathed out and forced himself to relax. He gritted his teeth, determined not to give them the satisfaction of hearing him cry out in pain.

He heard the whistle of the thin leather cutting through the air, but felt only the barest stinging sensation on his back. Startled, he wondered if Kaen had missed. He'd had mosquito bites that hurt worse than that.

Again and again, the whip cut through the air, and again and again, he felt next to nothing. Only when the chill air of the room caressed his skin, did he realize what was happening. His eyes widened in shock. _She's flaying my shirt right off me! And barely brushing the skin!_ He began to tremble as he contemplated the level of skill such an act would require. Kaen knew exactly what she was doing with that whip.

She worked her way around to his front, and Genrou had to struggle not to flinch each time the sliver tip of the whip came flying towards him. He managed it, holding perfectly still, and when Kaen finally coiled the whip in satisfaction, there was nothing left of his shirt but the smallest shreds of fabric. Yet, there was not a single bruise on his torso.

Chuin was standing out of the way at one side, and as he flicked a glance at her, he saw that she had one hand inside her kimono front, fondling herself. Her head was tipped back slightly, and she watched the proceedings from beneath thick eyelashes, a look of pure, unadulterated lust on her face. She licked her lips and smiled at him, withdrawing her hand from within her clothes and moving forward.

"Very impressive, as usual, Kaen," she purred, and Kaen smirked. "And very impressive on your part as well, my dear Genrou. May I call you Genrou? Or perhaps, Gen-chan, as your friends do?"

"Fuck off," he snarled, baring his fangs at her. She laughed, and slapped him casually. Four more shallow lines marked his face, blood slowly beading in the welts.

"Don't damage him too soon, Chuin," Kaen chided. "Especially after all my hard work not to bruise him."

"Indeed, my apologies Kaen." Backing off a little, Chuin looked him up and down. "My goodness! He's even better than I'd hoped."

Kaen was giving him a similar going-over. "He IS delicious looking, isn't he? I think I'm glad you took a special interest in him after all - he is going to be fun to break indeed."

"You just don't get it, do ya?" Genrou asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice. He narrowed his eyes at them. "Ya can't break me, 'cause I just don't care what ya do. If it makes ya feel better about yerselves to mess with my body like this, fine, go ahead - ya can't touch my mind or my spirit, 'cause I won't let ya. And sooner or later, yer gonna hafta let me go. And when you do..." he gave them his famous fanged grin. "Well - don't sleep too deeply at night, if ya know what I mean."

Instead of unnerving them a little, as he'd hoped, his words seemed to excite them further. Chuin gave that chilling little laugh of hers. "Ah, how I love your fire, Gen-chan! Let me bask in its warmth!" Gripping his chin with hard fingers, she brought her mouth to his, kissing him deeply.

Genrou struggled a bit, then acquiesced - and the moment her tongue entered his mouth, he bit down, hard. Gasping, she pulled away, a thin red trail marking her face; but her reaction seemed to be prompted more by lust than pain. She trailed her fingers along his bare chest, licking her lips to catch every coppery drop of blood.

"You think you're hurting me, but in fact, you're only digging your grave deeper, Gen-chan," she whispered into his ear, before biting down painfully on the lobe. Genrou gritted his teeth and bore the sharp pain stoically.

"Chuin loves the taste of blood, you see," Kaen commented, flicking the tip of the whip idly, like a cat's tail twitching just before it pounces.

"Particularly other's blood, but my own will do in a pinch," Chuin added, pulling away from him. Turning to face her friend, she clasped one hand on the back of Kaen's neck and leaned in for a deep kiss. When she pulled away, both women were panting, their lips slightly bruised-looking.

"Take his pants off, Kaen," Chuin murmured, drawing back to her corner. "And cut him, just a little, please. I want to see if his blood is as hot as his temper."

"With pleasure," Kaen replied, and set to work.

Genrou could not suppress a small hiss of pain, as the whip bit into his flesh for the first time. Thin, stinging lines were laid out along his calves and the tender flesh of his inner thighs, as his jeans were literally torn off his body, piece by tiny piece. He forced himself to hold still, knowing that any movement would only worsen the bite of the whip, and earn him more punishment later.

When she was finished, Genrou noted in a sort of detached amazement that his briefs were still in one piece, not a single tear in the thin cotton. She seemed smugly pleased with her work. Thin trickles of blood tickled their way down the inside of his legs from the tiny cuts she'd inflicted.

Chuin was touching herself again, tiny moans emerging from her throat as she watched. Sauntering forward, she trailed her free hand up one thigh from his knee, brushing against his crotch lightly, then down the other leg. Bringing her now-bloodstained finger to her lips, she tasted the coppery liquid.

Her eyes half-closed, she whimpered. "Exquisite," she proclaimed, proffering a second finger to Kaen, who took it into her mouth and sucked lightly.

"Delicious," the purple-haired woman agreed, eyes glittering at Genrou from beneath her lashes. "Let's not break this one too fast, okay? I want more of this - much more."

Chuin laughed again. "Don't worry. He's proud enough that I imagine he'll last several hours, at least!"

Genrou snarled again. "Why don't you both just get a life!"

"Ne, Chuin? I know what would be perfect to break this one," Kaen purred, then leaned over to whisper into her friend's ear. Chuin's eyes widened, then narrowed in delight.

"Ah, yes, excellent! I'll enjoy watching him beg." Moving to a table hidden in a shadowed corner, she fiddled with something out of Genrou's line of sight. When she came back around to his front, she held a long, wicked-looking needle, filled with a clear, pink-tinged liquid.

Genrou broke into a sweat, his eyes wide. Physical beatings he could handle, but drugs were something else. For all he knew it was poisonous, or addictive, or otherwise seriously, permanently damaging. He began to struggle once more, cursing wildly.

"Hold him." Chuin's voice was firm, and Kaen's grip no less so, as she held him steady and Chuin advanced on him with the needle.

Reaching up, Chuin slid the needle into a vein in his elbow with casual ease, indicating long practice in the procedure. Genrou squeezed his eyes shut so as not to see the liquid being forced into his veins, as if by not watching it, he could deny the effect of whatever drug was being pumped into his system.

Her task finished, Chuin backed off, and Kaen released him to hang by his arms once more. His elbow stung slightly where the drug had been injected, but otherwise Genrou could feel no ill effects. Both women watched him closely, waiting for some reaction.

He worked up his courage once more, and sneered at them. "What, you think I'm afraid of some itty-bitty needle? Come on, I'm a big boy, you can't... oh, shit!" He broke off and stared hazily at the far wall as his vision fuzzed over. He could feel heat rushing through his veins, being carried to every part of his body and making every nerve he possessed tingle. Hanging his head, Genrou gave a low moan. It wasn't unpleasant - on the contrary, it felt very much like the buzz he got when Kouji was pressed up against him, naked and ready, on the verge of taking him up the ass.

Genrou squirmed, fighting the sensations with all of his will, but the throbbing of his blood and the tingling of his body could not be denied. He felt himself harden almost painfully, heard himself begin to pant wildly, and moaned again.

"What... the fuck... did you do to me?" He demanded, staring at them with wild eyes.

Chuin smiled nastily. "You like that? It's a black market drug, very rare and very expensive. It enhances the pleasure centers, and causes the brain to become confused between pleasure and pain stimulation. We only use it on the very best of our toys - you should be honoured!" Genrou moaned again and shook his head harshly, trying to clear it of the fuzziness caused by the drug.

"My goodness, he's reacting to it even faster than normal, Chuin," Kaen commented, her lips slightly parted and her voice breathless with lust. "He must be very passionate."

"I told you, he's full of fire," Chuin replied, tracing her hands along the planes of Genrou's chest. He moaned again at the contact, arching into her touch despite his efforts not to. His briefs felt horribly constricting, the light cotton pressing painfully against his swollen member. It felt as if each individual thread was cutting into the delicate skin, filling him with both pain and pleasure at the pressure.

"He looks uncomfortable," Chuin observed. "Why don't you take those awful briefs off him, Kaen"

Licking her lips, Kaen set to work, her strokes even more delicate than before. The hard leather of the whip, leaving no mark but stimulating him beyond belief, caressed every inch of his skin. He howled as the skin of his ass turned bright pink beneath her tender ministrations, the confining material of his underwear falling away to leave him completely exposed. Though the air in the room was slightly chilled, it did nothing to abate the raging fire in his body. The only area she did not touch was his raging erection, and he nearly cried out for the lack of contact, only biting back the exclamation at the last moment.

Panting, Genrou whimpered as each lash of the whip touched his skin like a lover's hand, bringing both pain and pleasure beyond belief. He'd never felt so aroused in his life, and the pain he felt only added to the sensation, not detracting from it. Futilely, his mind struggled to escape the effects of the drug.

At Chuin's nod, Kaen dropped the whip and approached him, reaching out to trail her fingers along his hard, muscled body. He leaned into her touch like a dog in heat, unable to stop himself from reacting to the sensations. Behind him, he felt Chuin doing much the same, the silky fabric of her kimono brushing against him, even as the cool leather of Kaen's pants touched his thighs. Their tongues and fingertips flicked against him, never resting long in one place, driving him to distraction.

Deep within him, desire pooled, battling with his will for control of his body. He moaned and whimpered and cried out again and again, his hips thrusting against empty air despite his best efforts to stop them. He was deeply mortified and shamed by his inability to resist what they were doing to him, the very depths of his mind screaming out against them. But the only sounds that escaped him were passionate in nature, wordlessly pleading for more.

"Ah, you like this, don't you little worm?" Chuin murmured against his neck, her breath making him shiver. He turned his head away from her, only to have his lips captured by Kaen's in a deep kiss. Unable to help himself, he responded, his tongue lashing against hers in an erotic dance.

Both women were studiously avoiding touching his erection, though they danced their hands over and around the area teasingly. Lust and need clawed at his guts, wrenching at his body until he thought he would die if it wasn't released. "Empty," he whispered brokenly, then bit his lip to stop himself from saying any more.

Too late - Kaen's eyes widened and she pulled away slightly, her face quizzical. "Empty?" she repeated softly, her hand teasing absently at his nipple. "That's not what the males usually say..." she trailed off and shot an indecipherable look over his shoulder at Chuin.

The grey-haired woman wrenched his head around to face her, studying his half-shut eyes deeply. A slow grin broke across her face. "Why, how lovely! Kaen, I do believe he's been taken by a man before, and liked it!"

Kaen blinked, then chuckled. "An uke? I never would have guessed it. How lucky for you, Chuin. You certainly know how to choose them. I wonder who it is?"

"That beautiful friend of his, Kouji, most likely," Chuin replied. "Such a pity he's scarred, he would have made a lovely plaything also." Genrou moaned as Chuin rubbed a finger across the tight ring of flesh in his ass, trying to force the teasing finger inside of him. He felt empty and hollow, and desperately needed to be filled.

"Look at him squirm! He really wants this!" Kaen laughed, fondling his aching sacs. His head thrashed as his body tried to decide which it wanted to thrust against, the finger in his ass or the hands on his balls.

"Houjun has been awfully protective of him," Chuin mused, inserting another finger deep inside him and listening to his moans. "Perhaps THAT'S why you've never been able to catch his eye, Kaen?"

Kaen smirked. "It wouldn't surprise me in the least." Grasping his long hair at the base of his neck, she forced his head up to meet her gaze. "Are you taking it up the ass from Houjun, Gen-chan? Does he screw you silly every night?"

"Ahhhh...." Genrou's eyes widened, his over-heated body more than eager to provide a tantalizing image of Houjun doing just that. He could almost feel the older boy's hands on his skin, feel his erection pressed up against his ass...

Abruptly he realized that particular sensation was NOT a fantasy. Sputtering in surprise, the cloudiness of thought caused by the drug momentarily overcome by his shock, he twisted his head to stare at Chuin.

The kimono-clad teen smirked at him and thrust against him again, leaving no possible way for Genrou to misunderstand. Beneath the heavy silk, he could clearly feel Chuin's erection.

Kaen laughed merrily. "What, you hadn't figured it out? I thought everyone in the school knew Chuin was actually a man by now."

Instantly, the gnawing feeling of lust within him doubled. Before, faced with two women, his normal teenage hormones had been muted slightly, giving the drug less to work with, as he felt no attraction whatsoever for women. Now it raged through him with renewed vigour, the emptiness clawing at him, demanding the hard rod he could feel pressed up against him be INSIDE him, NOW. Whimpering, his head lolled back, feeling as if it were too heavy for his neck to hold upright.

Chuin seized the opportunity to kiss him, deeply. Silk rustled and he felt the heavy material sliding against his skin, and then the other man was pressed up against him, fully naked, his erection hot and hard and probing against him. Genrou tore his mouth away and gasped for air.

"Take him, Chuin," Kaen hissed, her eyes glittering. "Take him now! I want to watch him squirm!"

"Now, now, Kaen," Chuin chided, teasing his erection against Genrou's backside mercilessly. "Don't be overeager. He needs to beg, first."

Genrou managed to recover some shard of sanity at that. "Never!" He growled, biting nearly all the way through his lip to try to distract himself. But the sensation only added to the maelstrom of pleasure whirling within him, and he whimpered again.

"'Never' is a long time, little worm," Chuin murmured. His long, sharp nails brushed the tip of Genrou's raging hard on, collecting the pearly liquid that had pooled there. Bringing his hand to his mouth, he licked delicately at the drops, Genrou's eyes fixed helplessly on the erotic sight.

He screamed as he was suddenly engulfed by a wave of intense pleasure - while he was watching Chuin, Kaen had dropped to her knees and was sucking him off for all she was worth. Writhing in pleasure, he pumped his hips helplessly as she drew him quickly, expertly to the edge, where he teetered for an endless moment.

Then the stimulation was gone, as quickly as it had started, and he found himself crying out in sheer frustration, tears forming in his eyes as his body screamed for release.

"Beg me for it," Chuin murmured, pressing up against him hard.

To his utter shame and horror, Genrou found the words spilling from his mouth between sobs. "Take me... take me, please! Fuck me, I can't stand it... onegai, onegai, I'll do anything! Anything!" The tears spilled over, composed of equal parts frustration, fury, and shame. "Anything," he whispered again, his throat closing.

"More!" hissed Chuin, his member already pushing against that tight ring, pressing forward despite Genrou's body's instinctive efforts to keep it out.

"AH! Fuck me! Fuck me, please! Fill me, I can't stand it, I'm so empty - Chuin, please! Ah, screw me!" His babbling turned into a wordless scream as Chuin thrust home, planting himself deep within Genrou's body. Genrou could feel something give way, tearing beneath the onslaught, and warm blood seeped down his thighs, but he didn't care. The pleasure was pain, and the pain was pleasure, and all of it was raging within him, carrying him far beyond sense, into a world made of pure sensation.

Kaen had backed off, and was unlacing her top, exposing her ample breasts. One hand pinched roughly at her nipples, while the other slid downward to caress her crotch through her too-tight pants. She laughed as she saw his eyes fix on her, the gaze empty and hollow, as his body overwhelmed him. Abandoning her self-pleasure, she retrieved her whip.

"Chuin?" she purred, as her friend thrust repeatedly into Genrou's body from behind. "May I hurt him? Please?"

"Be... my guest..." Chuin gasped, his long nails digging deeply into Genrou's sides. He watched, eyes glittering, as Kaen cracked the whip once in preparation.

There were no teasing lashes this time, no light bruises and shallow cuts. The whip slammed into his front as Chuin slammed into his back, and he screamed, caught between a multitude of sensations. Blood ran freely down his chest and thighs from multiple cuts, thin red welts rising quickly wherever her whip touched. Such was her expertise, that they formed a dizzying pattern of lacework on his body, perfectly symmetrical in shape.

His body spasmed, and he felt himself reach orgasm, his seed spurting hotly out of him. Still Chuin pumped into him, showing no signs of slowing, and he felt his body harden again almost instantly. Moaning wildly, he strained against his restraints, still begging incoherently for more.

The brutal lashes paused momentarily, then resumed with renewed vigour. Dimly, he was aware that Kaen had shed her pants and was now using her left hand to pleasure herself, while losing none of her finesse with the whip. Some distant corner of his brain, in an effort to keep from going utterly insane, marveled at her self-control, that her hand shook not at all.

The pain and pleasure mixed in a whirlwind of sensation until all of his essence was lust and need and desire, raging through him with gale force. He screamed into the abyss as his body reached orgasm again, and then again, clenching wildly around Chuin's member deep inside him.

Finally, he felt Chuin stiffen against him, crying out his own completion, even as Kaen gasped and suddenly turned the whip around, using the thick handle to fuck herself wildly. Their screams of ecstasy seemed to echo in the room long after they had actually faded, leaving only the sounds of harsh panting and Genrou's occasional whimper. Chuin pulled away from him with a terrible wet sucking sound, and Genrou knew that something inside him was hurt, bad. The drug was beginning to wear off, finally, but he almost wished it wasn't, as the pain began to throb through him just as the desire had earlier.

"Let's take a break, shall we, Kaen?" Chuin murmured, his voice breathy and full of satiation. He patted Genrou's ass fondly. "Don't go anywhere, little worm - we'll be back for more soon enough." Laughing, Genrou's tormentors pulled their clothing back on and left the room, leaving him dangling helplessly, unable to do more than pray for the oblivion of unconsciousness.


	6. Chapter 6

He was staring at the clock again.

Houjun cursed and tore his eyes from the glowing red digits, forcing himself to concentrate on the psychology textbook he was trying to read.

He'd read less than a sentence before his eyes drifted to the clock once more. _11:28. Dammit, Genrou, where are you? You've never been this late before. If you don't hurry, you're going to miss roll call..._ Giving up on the text, he slammed the book shut and leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose to stave of the migraine he could feel starting.

_Did I scare you that badly? Dammit, what on earth was I thinking? Kissing him like that. No wonder he hasn't been back to the room all day. He probably couldn't stand to look at me. He'll come crashing in here at the last second, like I did last night, and..._

There was a muffled thump outside the door, and a low cry. Glancing at the clock, Houjun saw that another minute had ticked by. _Cutting it damn close, Genrou... why isn't he opening the door?_

He crossed the room with swift strides, and opened the door cautiously, uncertain what he would find on the other side. The huddled, bloody, naked form slumped against the hall wall was NOT what he'd been expecting, however, and with a sharp cry he flung the door open the rest of the way. "Genrou? What happened?"

A tiny moan was his only answer, as he knelt swiftly before his roommate. If not for the bright, nearly orange hair, he wouldn't have recognized the younger boy. His front was covered in thin red lines, most of which were bleeding freely. His face was swollen from repeated blows, and there were burn marks over much of his visible body. His beautiful, waist-length hair had been sheared off at his neck, leaving ragged wisps clinging to his bloody cheeks. The stunning amber eyes held no sense in them, only pain and suffering.

Houjun bit his lip fiercely to keep from bursting into tears. Murmuring soft reassurances, he managed to get his arms around the other boy, and lifted him carefully. Staggering a bit under his more than substantial weight, he carried him to his bed, allowing the door to swing shut behind him.

Placing him gently down on the sheets, Houjun winced in sympathy as Genrou cried out harshly, his voice mostly gone from screaming. Thankfully, his back didn't seem nearly as injured as his front, so it wasn't as painful for him as it might have been.

Houjun cursed loudly and inventively as he heard Mamoru call for the boys to line up, using several phrases he'd picked up from Genrou himself. Poking his head out the door, careful to let no one see inside, he called out to the floor monitor. "Ueda-san? I think you need to see this."

Curious, Mamoru left off checking names to approach his door. "Houjun, anyone else would be in trouble for not being in the hallway, but I know you don't disobey the rules without good reason. Where's Kou-san?"

Wordlessly, Houjun cracked the door a little wider, letting the other teen into the room. Mamoru gave a short, low whistle as he saw the broken and bleeding form on the bed. Slanting a sympathetic look at Houjun, he exclaimed, "Holy Mary, mother of Christ, and all the saints besides. Kaen and Chuin get a hold of him?"

Houjun nodded. "Looks that way. Ryo's had his eye on him for awhile now, but they'd held off making their move so long, I was beginning to think they'd lost interest."

Mamoru shuddered a little. "Not those two. They NEVER lose interest, until their toy is broken." With a sigh, he turned to leave. "I'll tell the nurse, but it probably won't do much good. I don't think I've ever seen them break someone so thoroughly."

Houjun nodded, and Mamoru paused just before opening the door. "And, Houjun? Just this once, I won't notice if your light is on after lights-out, okay?"

"Thanks, Ueda-san," Houjun cracked a small smile at the other boy, probably the closest thing he had to a friend at this damn school. _Until Genrou came,_ some small part of his mind added.

Turning, he dragged a desk chair up beside the bed and waited for the nurse to come, stroking Genrou's forehead and murmuring quiet reassurances that he knew wouldn't be heard.

 

* * *

_//He was lost, utterly lost, caught up in a dizzying spiral of agony and shame. Trapped within his own mind, he struggled uselessly to escape the pain and horror of what had happened to him. Dimly, for a moment, he thought he heard the voice of his soul mate, calling his name, but he was swept away again before he could even try to respond._

_There was no thought, only instinct. There was no reason, only emotion. He could not act, only react, and he was slowly losing his grasp on his sanity._

_There was a harsh cry, and he felt his essence being enfolded in comforting warmth. He had a brief impression of fire and feathers swirling together, before his world turned red and the agony and shame retreated, beaten into submission by the powerful entity that cradled him like a lost and hurt child._

_**TASUKI** He nearly screamed as the voice reverberated inside his skull, crashing against his mind with the force of a tidal wave. It was the sound of a thousand fires crackling, the roar of heat deep within a volcano. It held the baking heat of the desert sun, and was overshadowed by the cry of a strange bird. **MY TASUKI. HOW MUCH YOU HAVE SUFFERED.**_

_"Suzaku..." he gasped, the name of his saviour surfacing from deep in his own mind. Suddenly that voice was a comfort, not a torture, and he huddled into the god's embrace, shivering._

_**TASUKI. THE TIME IS COMING SOON, WHEN YOU MUST BE READY TO FACE A NEW ENEMY. BE STRONG, MY WARRIOR. YOU WILL NOT BE ALONE.**_

_"Help me..." he whispered brokenly, as those warm, strong arms released him into the void once more. "Don't leave me... Suzaku!"//_

 

* * *

The school nurse bound Genrou's injuries with a somber look on her face, clucking her tongue and shaking her head all the while. Houjun paced back and forth nervously, hands clenched in his pockets to keep from lashing out in frustration at the nearest inanimate object. When she was finished, she handed him a packet of strong painkillers, and a large container of cool water. "Some of those are going to get infected," she said curtly. "I've given him an antibiotic shot, but I don't think it's going to do much. He'll have a high fever for a while, and he'll likely hallucinate. If he wakes up, and fights to live, I think he'll make it. If not..." she trailed off and shrugged wearily, then turned to leave.

Houjun felt an overwhelming rage that she should care so little, but fought it down instantly. This woman wasn't the cause of Genrou's suffering, and if she was jaded about his injuries, well - she'd seen every injury at this school, and Genrou probably wasn't the first person she hadn't been able to help. He needed a hospital, but Houjun knew the chances of the administration allowing Genrou out of the building were slim to none. If he was taken to a hospital, his injuries would have to be explained, and his parents would likely kick up a fuss.

He sank into the chair beside the bed, and wiped the sweat from Genrou's forehead with a cloth dampened in the cool water. Already the fever was taking hold, and his roommate was mumbling incoherently to himself. His eyes were open but unseeing, darting wildly from side to side while his body trembled in terror.

Houjun had seen the full extent of Genrou's injuries when the nurse had cleaned them, and he had a fair idea of what had been done to the younger boy. Fists clenched in rage, he promised himself he would have a long chat with Kaen and Chuin before this was all over.

Genrou screamed suddenly, and clutched at his head as if some loud noise had hurt his ears. Eyes wide, Houjun grabbed at his hands, holding tightly while he twisted about on the bed. Abruptly he went limp, collapsing back onto the bed, staring straight ahead with an expression of awe on his face.

"Suzaku..." he gasped, and Houjun went rigid.

That name - that damned name! The name of an obscure god from a forgotten Chinese legend, that he'd happened across once, long ago, in his research. It had haunted him ever since, cropping up when he least expected it, until it possessed him with a near obsession. But why on earth was Genrou crying out to Suzaku?

 

* * *

_//Tasuki gasped and panted for air, feeling as if all the oxygen in the room had been sucked out, though the window was wide open to the fresh spring-time air. Only a single, thin blanket covered his trembling form, but he was certain lead weights had been sewn into the seams, bearing down on his fragile body with a terrible pressure. He wanted to shove the thing off of him, but he knew he'd only end up shivering from a non-existent cold if he did. Besides, he just didn't have the strength to move._

_Outside, he could hear birds chirping merrily, and the warmth of a sunbeam fell on the blanket by his hand, but the cheerfulness of spring was lost on the bandit leader. His breathing harsh, he struggled desperately to cling to life, fighting the poison that rushed through his veins._

_The door to the room burst open to reveal his long-time friend and lover, fellow Suzaku Shichiseishi Chichiri, standing disheveled and out of breath, as if he had run all the way up the mountain to the Leikaku bandit's holdings. Indeed, it appeared as if that was exactly what he had done, as he rushed forward to collapse to his knees by Tasuki's side. Taking one thin, pale hand in his own, he brought it to rest against the side of his face._

_"Tasuki!" he cried softly, his voice pained to see his strong lover so weak and trembling. "What happened to you? I came as soon as I heard..."_

_"Poison," Tasuki croaked, his voice harsh and breathy. "Chichiri..."_

_"HOW?" Chichiri demanded, his good eye blazing with fury. "Who would dare to poison you?"_

_"Somebody poisoned a load of food that was sent up from one of the villages," Kouji remarked, leaning against the doorway. "We don't think it was actually someone IN the village - they're loyal to us, to a man. No, someone caught the shipment on its way up here. Luckily, only three people ate the food before we realized there was something wrong."_

_"The other two?" Chichiri asked without moving his eye from Tasuki's face._

_"Only Genrou is still alive," Kouji replied, his voice saddened. "And the only reason he made it this long, is 'cause he's been waitin' for you. You got here just in time, Chichiri."_

_"I... woulda waited for ya... forever, Chiri..." Tasuki gasped, squeezing feebly at his lover's hand. Chichiri returned the grip, tears forming, blurring his chocolate gaze. "But... I'm glad ya got here... already... Was afraid I'd pull a... Shouka and Mitsukake on ya..." He coughed, blood spattering his lips, unable to continue._

_Chichiri smoothed his fiery hair from his face with his free hand, murmuring gently, "Just rest, Tasuki. I'm here now, and I'll never leave you again. I swear it."//_

 

* * *

Houjun sat by Genrou's side throughout all of that long night, never once moving except to re-dampen his cloth, as the fever ate away at his roommate's body. Though Genrou's body was covered in sweat, it didn't appear to be having any effect other than to make him dehydrated. Periodically, Houjun would dip his hand into the water and let the drops trail from his fingers into Genrou's mouth, easing the parched dryness of his throat.

Genrou babbled endlessly, but it took a long time for Houjun to realize that there was sense in his words. He seemed to be speaking in an ancient dialect of Chinese, a fact which confused the older boy no end. Painstakingly, he puzzled out the words from his limited knowledge of the language.

 _Poison. Did Kaen and Chuin poison him? It's possible. I wouldn't put it past them. I can't leave now, but tomorrow I'll beat the antidote out of them... just hang on, Genrou. You have to hang on that long._ He soothed Genrou's forehead with the damp cloth again.

"Chichiri..." Genrou gasped, clutching at Houjun's hand like a lifeline. Frowning, Houjun wondered why that word - it sounded like a name - sent shivers up and down his spine. "Chichiri... don't leave me!"

"I'm right here," Houjun whispered, squeezing his hand reassuringly. "I won't leave you, Tasuki."

Then he frowned as he realized what he'd just said. 'Tasuki' was the name of the phantom lover who had haunted his dreams since he'd hit puberty. His dreams were always shrouded in shadow, and he never caught more than a glimpse of the other's face. For years, he'd puzzled over who his mysterious dream lover could be - until the day he had first met Kou Genrou, and then he knew.

He'd stood in the doorway that day and watched Genrou move around the room, oblivious to his presence, for several moments. He'd felt as if a ton of bricks had come crashing down onto him, stunning him into inaction, as all the breath left his body and his groin tightened painfully. His hair was too long, his face far too young, but it was unmistakably the face of his unknown fantasy.

After the deaths of his best friend and fiancée, and his three-year stint in prison, Houjun had given up on ever finding someone to love. Certainly, he didn't believe in such silliness as love at first sight. But the moment he first laid eyes on Genrou, he'd felt as if his whole life had been merely waiting for this boy to come to him.

 _You're a fool, Houjun,_ he berated himself, even as he continued to whisper gently to Genrou. _An utter, utter fool, to fall for this boy. He's a child. An innocent. What on earth would he want with you?_

Unbidden, his gaze trailed down the sheets, over the outline of Genrou's battered body. _Not such an innocent any more - given his injuries, I have little doubt that Chuin took him, forcefully. Bastard._ He was startled by the depth of the rage that he felt - not since that terrible day when Hikou had died, had he felt this way. Gulping, he forced it down. _No. I will not let my temper get the best of me again - not even for this. I'll beat the hell out of Chuin, but I won't kill him._

Genrou cried out again, his body arching off the bed in pain. Houjun held his hand and hushed him gently. Desperately searching for something to calm him, he began to sing a soft melody that he vaguely remember his mother singing to him, after he'd had nightmares as a child.

"Aoi sora ni wa, aoi jiyuu ga aru. Shiroi kumo ni wa, shiroi nozomi ga aru..."

 

* * *

_//Tasuki drifted back to consciousness, to hear Chichiri's soft tenor singing a folk song from Miaka's world. The Miko had taught them the song during one of their long days of travel on the ship to Hokkan-koku. It was a duet, and the range had been perfectly suited to Chichiri and Tasuki's voices. They had sung it together often in the intervening years, to remind themselves of all that they had been through together, until it became 'their' song, something that symbolized the unbreakable bond between them._

_It felt strange to hear Chichiri's voice carrying both lines, but Tasuki didn't want to ruin the gentle melody by trying to croak out his part. Instead he just listened, basking in the warmth and love radiating from his friend._

_As Chichiri came to the end of the song, his voice became rougher, until it finally broke on the last line. A single drop of salty wetness splashed against Tasuki's hand, then another, and another. Startled, he opened his eyes to see Chichiri weeping openly, hunched over his lover's hand, shoulders shaking._

_"Chichiri..." Tasuki reached up with his free hand to rub his thumb along the monk's cheekbone, wiping the dampness away. "Chichiri, don't cry. Please. Ya know I can't stand to see your tears."_

_Chichiri gulped hastily, scrubbing at his face with one hand. "T-tasuki - I didn't know you were awake. I'm sorry..."_

_"Hush. Don't be sorry," Tasuki whispered. "You know I love you, and I always will. Even death can't separate us - you told me that once, remember?"_

_Chichiri nodded. "I remember. And I still believe it. We're soul mates, Tasuki - meant to be together. Like Tamahome and Miaka, Tatara and Suzuno."_

_"Then don't cry," Tasuki replied. "The others have all gone ahead already - they're waiting for us in the next life, I'm sure." He sighed. "It'll be good to see Nuriko and Hotohori and the rest of 'em again. I miss 'em."_

_"I miss them too," Chichiri agreed. "And I'm sure you're right - they're waiting for us to be reborn with them."_

_"Ne, Chichiri?" Tasuki felt his strength fading rapidly, and struggled to keep from falling asleep again._

_"Hai, Tasuki?"_

_"We'll be together, in the next life, right? I don't wanna lose you..."_

_Chichiri caressed his face gently. "You won't lose me, Tasuki. I'll be with you, no matter what. If I have to tear the world apart to find you, I will."_

_"Demo..." Tasuki coughed harshly. "Demo, we won't remember, will we?"_

_"We'll remember. Soul mates will always recognize each other. We might not know why, or remember the details - but we WILL find one another again. I promise you."_

_"I'll hold you to that."_

_"Sleep, Tasuki. Conserve your strength. I'll be here when you wake up."//_

 

* * *

When his alarm clock went off, it startled Houjun into jumping nearly a foot into the air. Swearing, afraid the noise would waken Genrou from the semi-peaceful sleep he'd finally managed to fall into, he slapped the off switch. Genrou moaned and stirred, but didn't waken, and Houjun slumped into his chair thankfully.

 _Should have known better than to think that would wake him up,_ he thought, a little of his normal humour returning now that Genrou had survived the night. _It never has before. I've never met such a sound sleeper!_

Reluctantly, not wanting to leave his roommate's side, but knowing he'd be in worse trouble if he missed classes, Houjun packed his books into his bag. Checking one last time to be certain that there was water by his side, in case he should wake up and be thirsty, and that the blanket was securely tucked in, he shut the lights off and quietly closed the door behind him.

On the way to breakfast, he ran into Mamoru. "How is he, Houjun?" the hall monitor asked, a genuinely concerned look on his face.

"No better, but no worse," Houjun replied. "He's got a fever, and the nurse didn't seem hopeful, but I think he's going to be okay." He smiled wryly. "He's a tough son-of-a-bitch, I don't think he's going to let himself be beaten so easily."

"Well, the nurse has arranged with the sensei for him to miss class until he can walk," Mamoru said. Slapping the older boy on the back, he said, "Try not to hurt Chuin and Kaen too much, please? I know you're not afraid of them, but they'll take their anger out on the rest of the school, and we'll just end up with someone else in the same shape as Kou-san."

Houjun nodded thoughtfully, and waved his thanks as they separated to go to their friends' tables.

As he approached the little knot at the center of the caf which made up Genrou's friends, he marveled at the fact that he had begun to think of them as his friends, as well. Genrou had slowly but surely drawn him out of his shell, until he actually found himself choosing to be with them sometimes, rather than stay in his room and study. They waved him over enthusiastically.

"Gen-chan sleeping in late again?" Kouji asked with a smirk on his face. "Hope he doesn't miss breakfast again - ne, Houjun, what's wrong?"

Houjun's face had clouded over at the mention of Genrou. "He's not coming to breakfast," he muttered shortly. "And he won't be in class, either."

Naisu gave him a sharp look. "Haku and Ryo?" Houjun nodded. Min and Kenji both paled.

"Oh, shit," murmured Kenji. "How bad?"

Kouji looked from one to another. "What? Those bitches? What'd they do to him?"

Houjun picked at his food, not really hungry but knowing he would need the strength. "I'll spare you the gory details. Suffice it to say, he's hurt, and bad. The school nurse got him excused for the next while."

"How long, do you think?" Naisu asked.

"Probably a week before he can stand again, at the very least," Houjun replied.

Kouji exploded. "WHAT THE HELL?" he bounced to his feet and glared wildly around the cafeteria. "WHERE ARE THEY? Those bitches, I'll kill them!" Min and Naisu, seated on either side of him, grabbed his arms and hauled him back to his seat, hushing him quickly.

"Don't attract their attention, for god's sake, Kouji!" Naisu chided him. "There's nothing you can do, that won't end up with you in worse shape than he is!"

"Houjun, you're not going to do anything rash, are you?" Min wondered, eying the older boy's black expression nervously.

Houjun sighed and tried for a reassuring smile. "No, I'm not. I WAS going to beat the shit out of them, but Mamoru pointed out that they would just take it out on some other poor kid. I AM going to corner them, though - Genrou's feverish and delirious, but he keeps mentioning a poison of some sort. They may have drugged him with something, and I want to know what."

Kouji's face was nearly purple with rage, but he was forcibly kept silent by Naisu's hand clamped over his mouth. "He is going to make it though?" Naisu asked.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure he'll pull through. What state his mind will be in when he wakes up, is another story. They were torturing him, and knowing them, they didn't stop until they were certain they'd broken him."

Kouji stood abruptly, and waved off Naisu and Min's attempts to haul him back down again. "No, I'm not going after them. I'm going to class. And after class, I'm going to see Genrou. And after THAT..." there was a murderous look in his eyes. "Well, we'll see what happens after that."

 

* * *

_//Tasuki forced his eyes open past the twenty-ton weights that seemed to be sitting on them, to find his room shrouded in darkness. Even in the dim light, however, he was certain that the bulky form sitting beside his bed was NOT Chichiri._

_"Chiri..." he croaked, only to be hushed by a thin finger across his lips._

_"Shhh," Kouji murmured, then jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "He's asleep."_

_With great effort, Tasuki turned his head to see Chichiri's unmistakable form crumpled up on a cot which had apparently been brought into the room for that purpose. "He hasn't left your side for nearly three days now," Kouji continued softly. "I finally forced him to eat something and get some rest. He's not helping you any, killing himself like that."_

_Tasuki nodded weakly. "Kouji... I'm sorry," he whispered, unable to raise his voice any further._

_The other bandit seemed startled. "Sorry? For what?"_

_"Fer... leavin' ya," Tasuki continued miserably. "I never meant ta hurt ya, buddy..."_

_Kouji chuckled softly, and brushed Tasuki's hair from his face, much as Chichiri had earlier. "Genrou, Genrou - we've been over this, remember? Sure, I was pissed off at first. I didn't understand why you couldn't come back and just be Genrou, bandit leader, my best friend and lover, like it all was before. Do you remember what you told me then?"_

_Tasuki nodded. "That - that I couldn't go back to who I was, 'cause if I did, it would make everything everyone had sacrificed for nothing."_

_"You were right, buddy. I realized that a long time ago, and got over bein' hurt about you leavin' me just as long ago. Besides, once I saw the way you and Chichiri were together - well, I'm no fool, though I may act like it sometimes. You two were meant to be together, anyone can see that."_

_"It's not... that I love ya any less, buddy..." Tasuki said, tears forming in his eyes._

_Kouji leaned down, and kissed him gently. "I know," he said, pulling away, tears shining in his own eyes. "I know, Gen-chan. And I won't ever stop lovin' you, either. You're my best friend and my aniki, and that'll never change."_

_"I'll see you... in the next life, too..." Tasuki managed, as sleep took hold of him once more. "I promise... I won't forget ya..."_

_"I'll never forget you either, Genrou. Hell, SOMEbody's gotta keep your head from getting' too swollen!"_

_Chuckling, Tasuki gave up the fight and slid into unconsciousness.//_

 

* * *

Houjun didn't end up confronting Kaen and Chuin after all, too anxious was he to get back to Genrou's side. He didn't want him to wake up alone, for he'd certainly be confused and probably frightened. As quick as he was to get back from his classes, Kouji was still waiting impatiently outside his door.

He unlocked the door and strode swiftly to Genrou's side, leaning over to check his temperature, as Kouji stood in the doorway, gaping. The fever had subsided a little, but still ate at his strength, and the flame-haired youth's dreams were clearly uneasy. He moaned and muttered, and shifted restlessly, crying out each time the sheet rubbed against one of his wounds.

"What... the hell... did they DO to him?" Kouji whispered harshly, keeping his voice down to avoid waking his friend.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Houjun replied, just as softly. "Whipped him and burned him, certainly. From the marks on his wrists, I'd say he was probably left hanging by his arms. And... they raped him. I'm sorry."

"SORRY?" Kouji shouted, then winced when Genrou stirred on the bed. They both watched until he'd gone back to sleep, before Kouji continued in a whisper. "You're sorry? They fucking tortured him, Houjun! What the hell are we supposed to do now?"

"Comfort him," Houjun replied shortly. "Reassure him that it wasn't his fault. That whatever they did to him, we're not going to stop being his friends because of it."

Kouji gave him a sharp look. "You've known someone who's been raped before, haven't you?"

Houjun nodded, but said nothing more. Kouji sighed and shook his head. "Genrou's a tough bastard. He'll get through this. I... hey! How the hell did they rape him? They're both girls!"

Houjun snorted. "There are plenty of ways, especially given their sadistic tendencies - but I suspect they did it directly. Chuin's not a woman, Kouji."

Kouji gaped at him like a fish out of water. "Not.. not a girl? Ya mean... she's a HE?" At Houjun's nod, he blinked several times. "Holy... holy shit. And... and he... did THAT... to Gen-chan?" With a sick-sounding chuckle, he half-collapsed into one of the desk chairs. "Oh, Genrou... gods, what's this gonna do to ya?"

Houjun grimaced. "If he wasn't homophobic before this, he probably will be now... what?" he asked, as Kouji laughed abruptly.

"Ya've been rooming with him for nearly four months, and ya ain't figured it out yet? Gen-chan's as gay as they come, Houjun. He ain't never even looked twice at a girl."

Now it was Houjun's turn to blink in surprise. "He - what? Really?" _Then why did he looked so shocked when I kissed him - wait, wait. He looked shocked, but not disgusted... and... he... he kissed me back..._ Houjun was stunned.

"Yeah. He'll prolly kill me for telling ya, but..." Kouji shrugged. "Ya don't strike me as the gay-bashing type."

"I'm not," he murmured absently, still turning this new piece of information over in his mind. A glance at the battered body on the bed hardened his resolve. _I'm going to get you through this, Genrou,_ he promised himself. _In one piece, emotionally and mentally. And maybe then, I'll find out if you really are my dream lover._

 

* * *

_//"Why's it so dark in here?" Tasuki whispered, groping unseeingly towards where he knew Chichiri's hand would be._

_Chichiri took his hand gently, glancing sideways at the bright spring sunlight shining through the window. "It's night, Tasuki," he lied, not wanting to worry his friend. A single glance showed that Tasuki was nearing the end of his ability to fight the poison - he'd lost weight badly, his bones showing through prominently under translucent skin, his eyes faded and unfocused, his breath harsh and rasping._

_Tasuki chuckled, sounding pained. "Yer a lousy liar, Chiri," he said, smiling slightly. "I can feel the sun on me, I just can't see it. I can't hang on much longer..."_

_Tears welled up in Chichiri's warm brown eye, but he kept his voice steady and firm. "Tasuki - I don't understand why my magic hasn't been able to help you. If only Mitsukake were here!"_

_"If Mits could do anything against poisons and drugs, he woulda been able to help Tamahome when Nakago took over his mind," Tasuki replied. "Don't worry about it, Chichiri. I'm just glad I got to spend a few last days with ya."_

_Chichiri tightened his grip on the fragile hand, not caring that he was bruising it badly. "I don't want to live without you," He whispered hoarsely._

_"I'll be with ya," Tasuki replied, his voice fading rapidly. "We'll be together in the next life... you... promised..."_

_"Hai. I promised."_

_"Chichiri... wo... ai... ni..." Tasuki gasped once more, then stilled._

_"Tasuki. Tasuki! TASUKI!" Chichiri lost his battle with his sobs, collapsing onto the silent form on the bed. "TASUKI! I love you. Tasuki!"_

_In the doorway, Kouji nodded once, his face streaked with his own tears, and turned away, closing the door softly behind him. Chichiri deserved the right to grieve in private._

_Still sobbing, Chichiri fumbled at his waist, drawing the small, sharp ritual knife he used to cut magic herbs with. "Tasuki," he whispered, "Matte yo. We'll go to the next life together, koi." With a deep breath, he drew the sacred blade across his wrists, his life's blood pouring out to stain the white sheets crimson. "Ai shiteru, Tasuki."//_


	7. Chapter 7

Tasuki awoke slowly, his head pounding hard enough to drown out the pain in the rest of his body. Groaning, he forced himself into a sitting position, cradling his aching head in one hand.

Using some of the control techniques Chichiri had taught him, he forced his whirling thoughts into calmness, and gradually the tension in his body faded away, taking much of his headache with it.

Two sets of memories battled for dominance in his head; those of Tasuki, Suzaku Shichiseishi, Mt. Leikaku bandit leader; and those of Kou Genrou, delinquent high school student. Grunting, he sifted through them, sorting out which memories belonged to which life, until they settled into a reluctant truce with one another. Sighing, he reflected that now he understood how Taka had felt, fighting to regain his Seishi memories.

Swinging his legs off the bed, he grimaced at the sight of himself. Covered with bruises and healing cuts, it felt as if every nerve were on fire. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to a standing position, bracing one arm against the wall for support, and shuffled towards his dresser.

As he pulled out his customary jeans and t-shirt, he reflected that his life hadn't changed much from one incarnation to another. Still the pushy mother and sisters, still a delinquent with a soft heart, and even closer to Kouji this time. And - he glanced to the other side of the room, and smiled softly - apparently still destined to be with his soul mate. Chichiri had kept his promise - they were together once again.

Groaning, he shuffled back to his bed, sitting gingerly on the edge. Each movement he made drew fresh pain from the marks on his body, which in turn served to bring another memory of his torture to the surface. Growling, he considered exactly what he might do to Kaen and Chuin in revenge.

 _Kaen and Chuin - Soi and Tomo!_ He realized abruptly, shuddering. _Suzaku - even in the next life, the Seiryuu Seishi haunt us. Gods... I wonder if Nakago was reborn. Soi and Tomo are worse than ever, he must REALLY be a bastard._

Raking a hand through his now-shoulder-length hair, he grimaced. _Weird. My Genrou memories tell me that it's way too short, and my Tasuki memories tell me that it's way too long._ Sighing, he briefly regretted the loss of the waist-length tresses, before resolving to cut it as soon as possible. _No sense trying to grow it out again._

Shifting, he scanned the familiar-yet-not room, seeing everything as if for the first time. _Miaka's world is so damn cool! I'm glad I got to be reborn in it. Computers, fast cars, motorbikes, video games - hah, we didn't know what we were missin', stuck in ancient China._ Snickering, he tried to picture some of the other Seishi reborn in this world. _Nuriko - I wonder if he's as gender-confused in this life as he was in the last one. I bet he's still a clothes-horse. Hotohori - he can't be the emperor this time. Hmm... given his narcissism, he's prolly a model or something. Hey!_

He leapt to his feet, then wished he hadn't, as his injuries protested. Ignoring the pain, he bent to dig through a pile of magazines sitting on his desk, that Kenji had brought in one day and left behind. Grinning triumphantly, he pulled one out and stared at the beautiful man on the cover, undeniably the spitting image of the former ruler of Konan-kokku. _Hah! I knew I'd seen that guy somewhere before. Kouji can tease me about my deja vu all he likes, I was RIGHT!_ Flipping through the pages, he came to the interview with the semi-famous movie star, who went only by his first name, Saihitei. _Heh... says he has a girlfriend named Ryuuko. Nuriko's real name was Ryuuen; it's too similar to be a coincidence. Wonder if he's actually a girl, or if Saihitei is just lyin' about his gender preferences?_

Chuckling, though it hurt him to do so, he dropped the magazine back to the desktop and began to pace aimlessly through the room. Curious, he examined the titles of the books on Houjun's shelf. _Hmmm... psychology... philosophy... tons of religious books, from all sorts of religions... some phsysics, man, that looks difficult!... a little chemistry... hell, a little bit of everything._ He grinned. _Still the thinker, even if you do put on a tough front in this life._

He was still perusing the titles when the door opened behind him, revealing Houjun holding it open with his hip while digging through his backpack for something. Tasuki took advantage of the moment to stare at his lifemate hungrily.

The face was the same, and he rather liked the longish hair framing it. His body was a little harder, a little better toned, though he'd by no means been in bad shape before. With no recourse to Taiitsu-kun and his magic abilities in this life, Houjun had chosen to become more of a fighter. Tracing his scar with gentle eyes, the former Shichiseishi had little doubt that his friend's early life had been just as difficult this time around.

Houjun glanced up at his roommate's bed, then dropped his bag in startlement to see it empty. His gaze swung wildly around the room until it came to rest on Tasuki, grinning at him from the middle of the room.

"Genrou!" Houjun exclaimed, seeming rooted to the spot. "What are you doing out of bed, baka? You'll hurt yourself more!"

Tasuki snorted. "I'm fine," he replied, casually waving off his roommate's concern. He could only hope he was succeeding in keeping the lustful hunger from his eyes and expression - it had been FAR too long since he and Chichiri were last together. _You don't even know if he remembers anything, stupid,_ he reminded himself firmly.

Houjun shook his head and seemed to break his paralysis, as he moved forward and took Tasuki's arm firmly, leading him back to the bed. "Sit," he commanded, and Tasuki obeyed, wincing. It hurt to sit, and he once again contemplated the dire things he was going to do to Tomo to get back at the bastard.

He glanced at the desk chair beside his bed - Houjun's desk chair. "Ne, Chi - uh, Houjun, did you sit by me?" He blinked in surprise. "Ya didn't have to do that!"

Houjun dropped his bookbag on his own bed and raked a hand through his bangs, glaring at the grinning boy. "You were in rough shape," he retorted, a worried look in his eyes. "How much do you remember?"

Tasuki blinked in surprise. "Huh?" he asked intelligently. Was Houjun asking if he'd regained his Seishi memories?

Houjun shook his head slightly, a saddened look on his face. "I thought so. You don't remember what happened, do you? Kaen and Chuin got to you - dammit, Genrou, I warned you about them!"

"Oh." Tasuki was disappointed to realize that Houjun was no more aware of his past life than Tasuki himself had been, just a few short days ago. "Yeah, I remember what they did. Fucking bastards - just wait'll I get my hands on them."

Houjun sat next to him and grabbed his shoulders, keeping his gaze locked on Tasuki's. "Genrou, you're in denial. Either that, or you're putting up a mask. Neither one is healthy. They hurt you, badly. You have to admit it to yourself and deal with it, or it's just going to sit inside you, bottled up, until it explodes from the pressure."

"Oh. OH!" Tasuki abruptly realized what was troubling his roommate. Glancing again at the psych textbooks on Houjun's shelf, he shook his head, laughing a little. "No, no, I'm fine. Really, honestly, I'm fine. I worked through most of it while I was sick, I guess." And it was the truth. He vaguely remembered Suzaku enfolding him in a warm embrace, chasing the pain and shame away from him. He gave his famous fanged grin. "They caught me by surprise - that won't happen again. And I did warn them, at the start, that when it was over, they'd better not sleep too soundly." He cracked his knuckles.

Houjun just sighed. "Genrou - I can't force you to face it. But when you do, if you need someone to talk to - I'm here. I've been through... some similar experiences."

THAT caught Tasuki's attention. He narrowed his eyes dangerously at the thought of anyone hurting his Chichiri in that way. "Kaen and Chuin did that to YOU?"

Houjun shook his head wordlessly, his expression carefully neutral. But Tasuki had spent half a lifetime learning to read Chichiri's expressions through a mask - he couldn't miss the sorrow and pain deep in Houjun's warm brown gaze. Growling, he smacked his fist into his palm, ignoring the pain from his injuries. "Dammit! Is THAT what you meant, by 'prison is worse'? Suazku..." he snarled, wishing he could get his hands on the men who had hurt his soul mate that way. "No wonder you'll do anything to keep from goin' back."

Houjun jumped. "W-what did you say?" he nearly whispered, his good eye wide.

Tasuki gave him a sideways look. "I said, 'No wonder you'll do anything...'"

Houjun shook his head. "No, before that. 'Suzaku...' Where did you hear that name?"

Tasuki's eyes widened, as he realized his slip. He thought fast. "Uh... you used it once, remember?"

The older boy blinked, then sighed. "Yes, of course, you're right." He shook his head, and laughed. "I'll be damned if I know why that name keeps haunting me. It seems like every time I turn around, I run into a mention of it - and yet, it's an obscure god, from a forgotten religion!"

Tasuki absorbed that quietly. So Houjun apparently didn't possess all his memories, but glimpses of them haunted him, much like Genrou's own obsession with the character 'wing'. "Maybe he was important to you in a past life," He murmured softly, watching to see what reaction he got.

Houjun snorted. "I don't believe in that sort of thing. So-called 'past-life memories' are a result of suggestion under hypnosis, for the most part. People want to believe hard enough, and they create these fantasies in their own minds." He sighed, and rose to cross to his own side of the room. "Don't get me wrong - science is useful, but I believe there are a lot of things which cannot be explained by it. But I don't believe in reincarnation."

Tasuki grinned. "I used to be the same way. Worse, actually - I didn't believe in anything that couldn't somehow be measured."

His roommate gave him an odd look. "Used to be?"

"Well, let's just say... something I saw in my dreams, has convinced me that maybe I don't know everything after all." He shifted to make himself more comfortable. "My sister used to tease me that I must have lived a past life, because I was always gettin' the feeling that things were familiar, even when I'd never seen them before." He grinned, exposing his fangs. "Like when I first met you, and I was sure that I knew you."

Inexplicably, a blush heated Houjun's cheeks. "I - actually, to tell the truth, I thought I knew you from somewhere, as well."

Tasuki arched a brow - that was unexpected. Then again, Chichiri had been insistent that soul mates would always recognize each other when they met again. "What about soul mates?" he asked. "Do you believe in them?"

"Soul mates?" Houjun repeated, surprised. "You mean, two people destined to be together? I've never really thought about it. I guess so. But it's certain that most people never find theirs - or if they do, they miss the opportunity. Just look at the divorce rate statistics."

"Well, what if they do miss each other?" Tasuki asked. "Is that it? Is it over? Karmic fate thwarted, just 'cause they didn't happen to meet each other at the right time?" Houjun looked thoughtful. "And even if they do get together - a lifetime isn't long, compared to eternity. Do you believe in life after death at all?"

"I - don't know. I guess I never really thought it out. What on earth brought all this on, Genrou?"

Tasuki laughed. "Houjun, you said I was hurt bad. I think this was the closest to death I've been in this life. That kind of thing makes a guy think - especially given what I saw while I was out of it."

"You were delirious with fever, Genrou," Houjun admonished him. "You can't take anything you saw, or thought you saw, as proof of an after life or gods or anything else."

For a brief moment, Tasuki considered it. He HAD been feverish, he could tell by the sweat-soaked sheets and the lingering ache deep in his body. Was it possible, that it had all been a delirious dream?

Then he shook his head. The memories were too vivid, too complete. If it had only been the meeting with Suzaku, or even just remembering his 'death', he could have shrugged that off. But those flashes of his death had triggered an entire cascade of memories - from his home life, to how he joined the Leikaku bandits. From meeting Miaka, to the deaths and sacrifices of the other Suzaku Seishi. There was just too much detail there for it all to be a dream.

"Maybe you're right," he finally said, breaking the silence which had begun to stretch out uncomfortably. "Maybe I was delusional. Or maybe Kaen and Chuin knocked somethin' loose in my head, and now I'm psycho. But I don't think so."

"Are you saying you think you remember a past life?" Houjun asked incredulously.

Tasuki winked at him. "Maybe. Maybe not. But I do remember one thing for sure." Slowly standing, he sauntered over to his roommate, until they stood face to face, not even half a foot separating them. He gave an insolent fanged grin. "I remember that we definitely have some unfinished business to deal with!" So saying, he reached out in a lightning fast movement, and snagged the back of Houjun's head with his hand. Tugging the surprised boy forward, he planted a firm, sensual kiss on his half-parted lips.

He made no move to deepen the kiss, or to touch his roommate anywhere else. He simply made it clear that he wasn't about to forget what had happened between them, and then he pulled away, laughing silently at the stunned look on Houjun's face. Turning away, he strode towards the door. "Now, come on, I'm starving! I feel like I haven't eaten in days! Let's go to dinner!"

 

* * *

Dinner was a noisy, cheerful affair, as the others marveled at Tasuki's quick recovery. Kouji jumped to his feet at the sight of his best friend, racing over to grab him in a hug and thump him on the back.

Tasuki winced and peeled himself from his friend's embrace, chiding, "Geez, Kouji, gimme a break! I just got outta bed, fer cryin' out loud!"

Kouji pulled away, still grinning like an idiot. "I shoulda known better than to worry about you, Genrou. That skull of yours is way too thick to take any damage from a beatin' like that."

Tasuki grinned back, baring his fangs. "Damn straight. Those two had better watch their steps, I ain't gonna take this sittin' down any more."

To Tasuki's surprise, Naisu also gave him a hug. "We were all worried about you," she admitted, blushing a little. Min and Kenji nodded.

Tasuki plopped down, shifting a bit to ease his soreness, and began digging into his food. "Well, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. It'll take more than the efforts of THOSE two to get me down."

Houjun deliberately sat across the table and at the far end, as far away from Tasuki as he could get. Tasuki just grinned and said nothing, deciding to let his roommate make the next move. Instead, he indirectly stared at Kouji, across from him.

 _He hasn't changed a bit,_ he reflected, munching on an unidentifiable bit of caf food. _Still my best buddy and first lover. I don't know what I would have done without him - in this life, or the last one. I wonder why he doesn't remember anything at all? He's never gotten flashes of déjà vu the way I always have. Maybe because he wasn't a Seishi, so his ties to the last life weren't as strong?_ With a wry grimace, he realized that his older sister had been right all along. _Shit. It WAS because of a past life. Dammit. If she finds out she was right, she's NEVER gonna let me live it down!_

Apparently he'd been staring more obviously than he'd realized, for Kouji made a face at him. "What're you lookin' at?" he demanded playfully. "I got food on my face or somethin'?"

"Naw." Tasuki grinned at him. "It's just good ta see ya again."

Kouji snorted and laughed. "You were only out of it for three days or so, Genrou. You'd think it'd been years since you saw me last, the way you're talking."

 _If only he knew._ Tasuki just chuckled and attacked his soup.

They were most of the way into dessert, before the event that Tasuki had been waiting for occurred. The silence began at one end of the cafeteria, and slowly swept towards the other, where the six friends were eating. Two figures approached their table, twin smirks on their lovely faces. Kenji, Min and Naisu froze like deer in the headlights; Houjun and Kouji both glared; and Tasuki continued to eat, apparently oblivious.

"Well, well, the little worm seems to have recovered quickly," Kaen's melodic alto commented from behind him.

"We heard you were sick, little worm, and were planning to come pay our condolences," Chuin added in a falsely sweet voice.

With great deliberation, Tasuki licked the last of the chocolate pudding from his spoon, before placing it down on his tray. His movements still precise and controlled, he stood slowly and turned to face his two adversaries, an insolent grin firmly on his face.

"Kaen, Chuin," he greeted them, his voice dangerously quiet, a furious glitter in his amber eyes the only outward sign of his hatred. Once, in his previous life, he might have let his temper lead him, but he'd learned a lot about the benefits of subtlety since then. "How nice of you to crawl out from beneath your rocks to join us."

There were several gasps throughout the cafeteria at his audacity, then silence reigned once more. Chuin gave that soft, grating laugh of his, which sent shivers up and down Tasuki's spine - there was absolutely no mistaking the former Seiryuu Shichiseishi, Tomo.

"Your fire has already returned," Chuin licked his lips with that same hungry look in his eyes that Tasuki remembered from before. "How delightful! I didn't think we'd get a chance to play again for at least a few months, if ever."

Kaen reached out, purring, to run a scarlet nail down his cheek. "Did you have fun playing with us, Gen-chan?"

Tasuki's expression didn't shift in the slightest, as his hand shot out and clamped around Kaen's wrist. With a quick twist, he had spun her around and forced her arm up her back, holding it painfully. With a sharp jerk in one direction, he could break her arm - with a twist in another, he would dislocate it. She stood, bent over and gasping, eyes wide in disbelief.

Kouji was halfway to his feet when Tasuki waved him off with his free hand. "Thanks, Kouji, but this is my fight. Kaen and Chuin and I have a few little issues to deal with, don't we?" He narrowed his gaze at Chuin, who only licked his lips again.

"How quickly you forget your lessons, little worm!" Chuin smirked. "Will we have to make you beg for it again? That was most entertaining - I wouldn't mind hearing your breathless pleas for me to take you once more."

From the corner of his eye, Tasuki saw Houjun's fist clench on the table as he started to rise. With a small shake of his head, he stopped his roommate from interfering. "Oh, I haven't forgotten, but apparently you have," he replied negligently, carefully applying just a bit more pressure to his hold on Kaen's arm. The woman cried out and sank to her knees in pain. Tasuki kept his grip steady.

"I did warn you not to mess with me," he continued, the fire in his eyes growing stronger. "You caught me by surprise - that won't happen again. And now, you're going to pay." So saying, he threw Kaen away from him, sending her crashing against the brick wall. There was a sickening 'snap' as her arm bone gave way beneath the stress, and she screamed.

Tasuki felt the rage pouring through his body, and welcomed it. It helped to mask the pain of his injuries, giving him strength he would otherwise have been lacking. With a practiced twist of his mind, he directed the rage where HE wanted it to go, not letting its power control him. He could feel his chi building, his battle aura forming around him in a glowing, red halo. Ordinary people wouldn't be able to see it, but Kaen and Chuin's eyes widened, and he heard a few gasps from around the room from the people more sensitive to the flow of life energy.

Stepping forward, he was pleased to see Chuin take an instinctive step back. He continued to pace forwards, until he had the kimono-clad man backed against a wall, unable to retreat any further. Stretching his arms, he trapped the now-cowering bully against the wall between them, and leaned in to whisper, "You made a big fucking mistake, Chuin. Your little games woke something up inside of me, and you would have been MUCH better off if it had stayed asleep. I'm more powerful than you are now, and if you mess with me - or any of my friends - you will PAY for it, and pay dearly."

Narrowing his eyes and baring his fangs in a gesture that was decidedly more threatening than friendly, he backed off a little. "You understand me?"

Chuin stared at him, eyes wide. "H-hai..." he whimpered, terrified of whatever it was that he saw in Tasuki's expression. Suddenly his eyes flickered to a point just over Tasuki's shoulder.

Though his expression hadn't changed at all, that small glance was all the warning Tasuki needed. Ducking, Kaen's punch missed him and slammed into Chuin's shoulder instead. Ignoring her friend as he staggered from the blow, she whirled to face Tasuki, just in time to receive his spinning roundhouse kick. She flew backwards, sending Chuin up against the wall again, where they both collapsed.

Tasuki dusted his hands off, and turned to face his friends, grinning at their stunned expressions. Now that the immediacy of the battle was past, his adrenaline began to wear off and he felt his battle aura fading. His injuries started to protest his recklessness loudly.

"Genrou, what the FUCK was that red light?" Kouji demanded, half on his feet. Min nodded his agreement, while Naisu and Kenji just blinked.

"What light?" Naisu asked, confused.

"Kenki," Houjun breathed, his eyes wide. "You produced a visible battle aura! I thought it was only a silly samurai legend!"

"What are you talking about?" Naisu asked again. Kenji looked equally lost.

The cafeteria was buzzing loudly now, students trying to make sense of what some had seen, and others had not. In the din, Tasuki missed the sound of Kaen scrambling to her feet, until Kouji's eyes widened and he pointed behind his friend with a warning shout.

Tasuki spun, feeling his skin crawl with electricity as the stench of ozone filled the air. His stomach sank at the look of pain-crazed glee in Kaen's eyes, as she raised her good arm above her head. Little sparkles danced between her fingers as the former Seiryuu Seishi called her power to her. Outside the windows, the sky, midnight blue only moments before, had darkened ominously. Thunder rumbled in warning.

"HAKUJIN RAIHO!" She cried, and the ceiling exploded. Screaming, students scrambled to escape, creating a panicked mob, while Tasuki stood at the center of the blast, unable to move fast enough to dodge.

The lightning cracked down, splitting masonry and plaster as it went, aiming for the helpless teen standing before its mistress. Laughing, she watched as Tasuki instinctively reached for a tessen that wasn't there.

"NOOOO!" Houjun alone, of all the students, had remained standing, watching the lightning arc downwards. He flung his arm outwards, all of his heart and soul concentrated on a futile desire to save his friend.

From somewhere deep within him, power came rushing out along his arms, twining around his fingertips before bursting forth into a shining red shield, a half-circle of pure power between Tasuki and the lightning bolt. Thwarted, the bolt dashed itself against the shield, its energy running harmlessly down in to the ground around him.

Kaen sagged, drained by the attempt to call on a power that this body was never meant to have. Her eyes rolled up and she collapsed back into Chuin's arms, who had watched the entire proceedings with a stunned look on his face.

Houjun staggered around the table to Tasuki's side, red energy still crackling along his palm. The entire room was silent, as staff and students alike watched from beneath the scant shelter of the tables.

Tasuki grasped Houjun's arm to steady him, but didn't take his eyes off Chuin and the limp Kaen. "I'll only say it once more," he growled menacingly. "Mess with me, or any of my friends, and you will PAY."

Chuin gathered Kaen into his arms with a shaky grace, and began picking his way through the debris towards the door. As he reached the exit, one of the staff members scrambled to unlock it for him. As the door swung shut behind him, he gave Tasuki a venomous look. "This isn't over, worm," he snarled. "You'll pay for this!"

Tasuki just snorted wearily, and turned to face Houjun. The older boy was staring at his still faintly-glowing hand with a look of utter amazement on his face. "What - did I do?" he wondered aloud, seemingly to himself.

"You saved my fucking life, is what you did," Tasuki answered him.

"But... she..." Houjun glanced up at the shattered ceiling, revealing a sky once more calm and full of stars. "And I..." he looked back down at his hand, which now gave no indication that anything out of the ordinary had happened.

"Yeah, she did, and you did," Tasuki replied. Gently, he tugged on his roommate's arm, and Houjun followed unresistingly to sit at the table once more.

Kouji and the others were eyeing them both in shock. "What the HELL was that all about?" Kouji demanded.

Tasuki sighed, and sagged wearily to the bench, his body protesting every movement. "THAT, buddy, was the beginning of this school starting on its merry way to hell."

Naisu grinned faintly, a touch of her humour returning. "Oh, it was already hell," she commented, her voice cheerful. "Now it's just getting interesting."


	8. Chapter 8

Tasuki sat on the spare bed, sulking, as he watched Kouji packing his clothes. "It ain't fair," he said, for perhaps the hundredth time that day. "How come you get to go home, and I don't?"

Kouji snorted, shoving a pair of jeans into his suitcase. "Gee, Genrou, I dunno... it might have something to do with how you practically wrecked the cafeteria."

"I didn't do that, Kaen did," Tasuki replied, grumbling.

"And you'll note rumour has it that SHE doesn't get to go home, either!" Kouji pointed out.

Tasuki snorted and flopped backwards onto the bare mattress. "Great. I get to be stuck here with HER for company." Idly flipping a pen between his fingers, he absently wished he had his tessen to fidget with. Hell, he wished he had his tessen, period. "You're gonna be gone for a whole damn month, and so are Naisu, Min, and Kenji! I don't wanna spend my winter vacation by myself!"

Kouji grinned at him. "Houjun is staying too, isn't he? Didn't you tell me you were developing a thing for him? I figure you should be glad for some time alone with him!"

Tasuki blinked, then grinned wolfishly. "Now, there's a thought. Ya got a point, buddy." His eyes took on a dreamy look, as he plotted out just what he might do to 'keep Houjun company' over the long, lonely winter break.

Kouji cocked his head. "Are you serious? I thought you were just kidding. You've really got a thing for Houjun?"

Tasuki sighed, and wished once again that he could tell Kouji everything. But something deep inside told him it might not be a very good idea to start babbling about past lives and the Seishi of strange gods. His best friend was as skeptical of that sort of thing as he had been, and would probably arrange to have him committed.

"Yeah, I've really got a thing for Houjun," he replied instead. "In fact... Kouji, he's the one."

"The one what?" Kouji asked, stuffing some textbooks into his bag. He made a face at them. "Stupid Sensei, give us homework over Christmas break... geez."

"Kouji, I mean, he's the ONE. I'm in love with him."

Startled, Kouji dropped a textbook and jerked his head up to look his friend in the eyes. "What? When did THAT happen?"

Tasuki gave a wry grin at his friend's expression. "It didn't. Happen, I mean. I always have. I was just waiting to find him, is all."

Kouji stood and paced over to his friend, putting one hand on Tasuki's forehead and the other on his own. "You don't feel feverish..."

Tasuki batted his hand away and sat up. "I'm not feverish, baka. I'm serious. I'm in love with him, heart and soul. I was born to be with him."

Kouji stared at him, seeing the depth of his commitment in his amber gaze. "You're... really serious about this, aren't you," he whispered finally. Tasuki nodded, and Kouji blinked. "Well... hell, Genrou. What the hell am I supposed to say?" Straightening, he half-turned away. "Is that it? For us, I mean?"

Tasuki raked his hand through his newly-short hair - Naisu had helped him cut it back to the style he remembered having when he was a Seishi - and sighed with uncertainty. "Kouji. I love you, and I know you love me. But we both knew from the start that this wasn't gonna be forever. You like girls too much, and I..." he sighed. "I was already in love with Chichiri. I just didn't know it."

Kouji spun around, eyes wide. "Chichiri? You figured out who the hell it is?"

"Houjun is Chichiri," Tasuki replied quietly. "I know this doesn't make a whole hell of a lot of sense to you, buddy. I'm only just sorting it out, myself. He doesn't even know yet, so please don't mention this to him."

"HOW is Houjun Chichiri?" Kouji demanded. "Is it some nickname of his, that happens to be the same as that name that you're obsessed with? Is that what this is about?"

"It's not a nickname. Please, Kouji, I can't explain it. You're just gonna have to take my word for it for now, until I get this sorted out with him, at least."

"You're dumping me for him, and you don't even know if he likes you?" Kouji asked. "Hell, Genrou, you don't even know if he likes GUYS!"

Tasuki snorted. "I know, trust me."

Kouji's voice was bitter. "Oh, you know, do you? How long have you been screwing him, then?"

Tasuki's eyes went wide, then narrowed. "Kouji," he said quietly, his tone dangerous. "You know me better than that."

"Do I?" Kouji looked at him, hurt obvious in his face. "I thought I did. How long, Genrou?"

Tasuki stood slowly, trying to control his anger. "I would never cheat on you like that, Kouji. You know that. That's why I'm telling you now, in case something DOES happen over this vacation."

Kouji laughed bitterly. "You've been acting weird since that whole Kaen and Chuin thing, Genrou. Hell, even before that - you started acting weird after I got in trouble for sleeping in class. I feel like I don't know you at all any more. You don't talk to me any more! And now, out of the blue, you tell me that you love this guy, and that you're sure he likes guys. So what the hell am I supposed to think, huh?"

Tasuki's fist clenched, and he took a deep breath to calm himself. Deliberately, he counted to ten, then did it again backwards, just to be sure. Rage glimmered in his amber eyes, but his voice was calm and steady. "Kouji, I'm gonna say this one last time. I have not, in this lifetime, slept with Houjun. He kissed me, once, just before the Kaen and Chuin thing, and shocked us both. I kissed him, once, just after the Kaen and Chuin thing, to let him know that he hadn't scared me off or anything."

Pausing, he took another deep breath, then continued. "Since then, and since the thing in the cafeteria, he's been actively avoiding me. As for why I haven't been talking to you much, it has nothing to do with him! It has to do with your denial of what happened to you because of the sleeping in class thing - and it has to do with some stuff I learned about myself while I was sick in bed."

"For the last time, Genrou, NOTHING happened to me! They beat me a little, yeah, it was harsh, but nothing I couldn't handle!"

Tasuki jumped to his feet, frustrated. "Kouji, you were black and blue and bleeding! You were cowering in bed, whimpering and with your voice gone from screaming. You had nightmares for three hours straight, until you finally calmed down and went to sleep for real. I leave for dinner, get back, and you're acting as if nothing had happened!"

"Nothing DID happen! I don't know what you think you saw, but I wasn't black and blue and bleeding, and my voice was fine, and I certainly wasn't cowering in bed, when you came to see me after dinner. And, it was the first time I saw you that day after the shower thing."

Tasuki growled. "The fact that you were hardly injured at all is what makes me so damn nervous!"

Kouji growled back. "I think you're just trying to change the damn subject. Tell me again how Houjun and this 'Chichiri' are connected?"

Tasuki's felt his temper reaching the boiling point. "DAMMIT!" he yelled. He knew he had to get out of there before he said or did something that would destroy their friendship permanently. He stormed towards the door. "I don't want you to leave while we're fightin' like this, but if I stay, I'm just gonna say somethin' I'll regret later. Go home, cool off, and think about it for awhile. If you're still not mature enough to deal with it when you get back... well, I'll deal with that then."

As he slammed the door behind him, he caught a glimpse of regret in Kouji's eyes. But the bitterness was still prevalent, and so although it hurt him to do so, he continued along the hallway to the stairs.

He slammed the door to their room behind him, still fuming, and flopped down onto his bed, pillowing his head in his arms. He ignored Houjun, gaping at him from his desk.

_Dammit. Geez. You'd think I'd have figured out what NOT to say to him after the FIRST time I told him I was leavin' him for Chichiri! But I didn't do any better this time around. I guess there's just no easy way to break that kind of news. But dammit - I love Kouji, he's my best buddy, in this or any other life. But I'm not IN love with him! I'm in love with Chichiri, and I won't let anything stop me from being with him!_

"Genrou?" Houjun finally ventured to ask the shuddering teen collapsed on the bed. "Are you okay? Did you have another run in with Kaen and Chuin?"

Tasuki shook his head. "I had a fight with Kouji," he replied miserably. "And he's leavin' in half an hour, so he's gonna go away mad at me. But dammit, I was right! He had no cause to be jumpin' all over me like that!"

"Oh." Houjun seemed to be at an unusual loss for words. Tasuki kept his face buried in his arms, not wanting Houjun to see his eyes just then. "What did you fight about?"

Tasuki snorted. "You don't want to know." _What would you do if I told you that we were fighting 'cause I'd just dumped him for you?_ The thought of Houjun's probable reaction brought a small smile to his face, despite himself.

The silence stretched out for long moments, until Tasuki finally couldn't resist his curiosity any longer and had to peek to see what his roommate was doing. Houjun was staring at the wall, his gaze distant and withdrawn.

"Genrou," he finally said, making Tasuki jump a little. "I need to know. What happened, two weeks ago in the cafeteria? Of all the people involved, you were the only one who didn't seem surprised by what was happening."

Tasuki sighed, and sat up slowly. "Houjun, you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said, sighing again. "In fact, I KNOW you won't believe me. I can't explain it to you any more than I could explain it to Kouji. Either you'll understand some day - or you won't." Tasuki's heart clenched at the thought that Houjun might never regain his Seishi memories. He desperately wanted to hold his soul mate, tell him that he loved him, and have that love returned.

Houjun sighed as well. "Is this what you fought about? I can see why. You've taken on a downright mystical bent ever since you were sick, Genrou, and it's starting to get on my nerves." Standing, he headed for the door. "I'm going to say goodbye to Kouji, since he's leaving. I'll see you later."

 

* * *

Houjun didn't return until much later that evening, but Tasuki had been expecting that. Houjun had been spending as little time around him as possible for most of the last two weeks. As they settled into bed after lights out, Tasuki finally ventured to ask some questions that had been bugging him.

"Ne, Chi... uh, Houjun?"

"Hai, Genrou? What is it?"

"How come you're stayin' here over the break? Are they makin' you stay, like me? Or did you just not want to go home?"

Houjun sighed. "I wasn't given the choice, either. Although, honestly, I probably would have stayed anyway. I don't really have any family left, so going 'home' is pointless."

"Why do you suppose we weren't allowed to go home? Do ya think it's 'cause of the cafeteria thing?"

Houjun snorted. "You're the one who's determined to figure out what's going on here... haven't you realized yet? The students who don't get to go home are the ones who've never been punished for anything."

Tasuki blinked. "Can't be. I got in trouble for missing breakfast that one time."

"That doesn't count. You just got Hall Monitor discipline. I'm talking about the serious punishments, like Kouji got for sleeping in class. The ones that leave you with a haunted look in your eyes, and in serious denial about what happened."

Slowly, Tasuki started to put the pieces together for himself. "They've been brainwashed, or somethin', haven't they? So that they don't remember what happened. But we haven't been... so if we got out, we might start tellin' people about what's REALLY goin' on here." Excited, he sat up. "Shit, Houjun, this is worse than I thought! We've GOT to find a way to tell people what's happenin' in this place!"

Houjun shook his head, barely visible in the darkness of the room. "You still don't get it. The only way you'll ever leave these school grounds, is after you've been thoroughly broken by them."

"You've managed to keep your nose clean so far," Tasuki pointed out. "And you graduate in another four months, don't you? You'll be out of here then."

"In the year and a half that I've been here, I have not yet seen anyone graduate who had NOT been punished at some point. Either I will 'fail' a necessary course, or they will find something to accuse me of. I have little doubt of that."

"And that doesn't BUG you?" Tasuki demanded. "For cryin' out loud, Houjun, don't you want to know just what the fuck they're going to DO to ya?"

"And what, exactly, should I be doing about it?" Houjun asked, sounding very tired.

"Help me!" Tasuki responded, pounding his fist against the mattress in frustration. "Most of the staff are gone for vacation as well, right? So now's the perfect time to find out what the HELL is going on in this school! With two of us looking, we're more likely to figure it out."

Houjun was quiet for long moments, and Tasuki held his breath. The Chichiri that he knew would never have allowed this sort of thing to continue, without trying to fight it. Had Houjun's life been different enough, that he didn't care about others the way that Chichiri had? Could Tasuki bring himself to love someone who didn't?

"All right," came the quiet reply at last, and Tasuki nearly whooped in relief. "All right, I'll help you. We'll wait a few days, until most of the staff are gone. They relax the rules a little during the holidays - the only alarms activated at lights out are the ones outside the buildings, so that we can't leave. But the hallways are free. We'll search the principal's office."

"You won't regret this, Houjun," he whispered fiercely, glad to have his partner once more by his side.

"Oh, yes, I will," Houjun replied, but there was a thread of laughter and relief in his voice. "But at least I'll know what's going on. You're right, it HAS been bugging me. I feel much better, now that I've decided once and for all to do something about it. Now, go to sleep, Genrou. We're both going to need all the rest we can get."

 

* * *

Tasuki awoke, hard and trembling with desire, to the sound of his name. He blinked, the room brightly lit by the moonlight streaming in through the window, and looked around, confused. He'd been dreaming about Chichiri, which explained the hard on, but what had woken him up?

"Tasuki..." the whisper came again, sending shivers of lust up and down his spine. He sat up, to see Houjun lying, half-naked, twisted in his covers, panting and moaning softly. The mere sight was enough to double the strength of Tasuki's erection.

"Suzaku..." he breathed, drinking in the sight of his soul mate sprawled wantonly across his bed. Now he remembered seeing Houjun like this once before, on the morning he'd gone to meet Kouji in the showers - the morning this whole mess had begun. Later events of that day had driven this memory right out of his mind, but now it returned, full force.

"'I wonder who Tasuki is'" he snorted, remembering his earlier comment. "What a baka I was." Quietly, he stood and padded over to sit lightly on the edge of Houjun's bed. He knew he probably shouldn't be doing this, but he was irresistibly drawn.

 _Like a moth to the fire. I won't wake him up. I just want to watch him. Gods, he's so fucking hot, I just wanna jump him right now and screw him silly._ With a wry grin, he gently traced his finger along the curve of Houjun's cheek. With a small moan, the older boy turned his face into the caress. _Down, boy. You'll scare him off. But damned if he isn't even more sexy in this life than he was in the last one._

He continued to trail his finger downwards, brushing over a spot on his neck, just behind his jawbone near the base of his ear, that had always set Chichiri on fire. Sure enough, Houjun gasped and squirmed, mouth pursed into a sexy little pout. Tasuki brushed the spot again, and Houjun moaned loudly.

"Tasuki..." The red-headed youth shifted to relieve some of the pressure in his pajama bottoms, the sound of his name on his soul mate's lips setting his heart racing, as always. Sighing, he drew his finger away. Houjun protested vaguely and tilted his head to try to find it again.

Careful not to shift the bed and wake him, Tasuki leaned in until his mouth hovered just about his roommate's ear. "Chichiri," he whispered, barely a breath of sound. "Chichiri, I love you. Don't ever forget it."

Standing, he turned and made his way back to his own bed. Climbing into the warm covers, he found it was surprisingly easy to drift back towards sleep. Just as the warm embrace of his dreams caught him up, he could have sworn he heard Houjun reply, "Tasuki. Wo ai ni."

 

* * *

Tasuki glanced at the door nervously, flashlight clenched in his trembling hand. Hissing his breath out through his teeth, he forced himself to concentrate once more on the papers he'd pulled from the principal's filing cabinet. He couldn't believe how easy it had been to break into the room; in any life, he was an excellent lock pick, and the wimpy bolt on the office door had presented him no problems. There had been no alarms, no traps, no nothing. The ease of the job was what had Tasuki's bandit-honed senses screaming that it had to be a trap. Either that, or what they were looking for simply wasn't here.

"Will you stop fidgeting?" Houjun snapped in a whisper. "You're making me nervous!"

"Sorry," he replied, just as quietly, glancing at the door again. Sighing, he stuffed the papers back where he'd found them, and straightened from his half-crouch. "There's nothing here, Houjun."

Houjun made a frustrated noise. "It HAS to be here. There has to be something! Some document on the drug they use, a record of some kind - something!"

Shaking his head, Tasuki began to examine the back wall closely. Something about the wallpaper on that wall was bugging him, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was yet. "There's nothing here. It was too easy to break in to. If there is any proof, we're not going to find it going through papers that are as easily accessed as... wait a minute. Bring your light over here."

"What is it?" Houjun complied, shining his light on the same spot as Tasuki's.

Tasuki drew his finger over a slight shading in the solid red wall. "Look, here. Doesn't it look like there are lines of a slightly lighter colour?"

Houjun peered at it, frowning. "Kind of. It's probably just faded, that's all."

Tasuki shivered, and suddenly felt cold. He drew his finger away as if stung. "No. This is what we're looking for. I'm sure of it."

Houjun looked at him. "What's wrong? You've suddenly gone pale." Suddenly he shivered as well. "Brr. What on earth is that? It feels like someone just stepped on my grave or something."

Tasuki eyed the pattern again. "It's not just fading. Look, it's a regular pattern..." he started the trace the pattern, then stopped, shaking.

"What is it?" Houjun's face was full of concern.

Tasuki shivered again, swallowing hard, as he drew his hand away. "It felt like something really nasty just crawled up my arm from where I was touching the wall. Somehow, I don't think tracing that pattern out is a good idea."

Houjun brought his light to bear on it again, and squinted at it. "You're, right, it is a pattern. Look, see here? There are five circular areas, about the right shape and placement for fingerprints." He straightened, and his gaze took on a far-seeing quality.

"It's warded," he said, his voice distant. Tasuki looked at him, surprised. He sounded just like Chichiri in a half-trance.

"What do you mean, 'it's warded'?" he asked.

Houjun was eyeing the wall with renewed interest. "It's a pentagram of warding, with a dimensional portal spell interwoven. If the right person touches their hand to it, it opens a door. If the wrong person does..." He shivered and blinked, his eyes focusing again. "What are you staring at me for?"

Tasuki's jaw was practically on the floor. "How did you know that?" he blurted, forgetting to be quiet for a moment.

"How did I know what? What are you talking about?" Houjun seemed confused.

"You said it was a 'pentagram of warding', with a something-door spell in it!" Tasuki insisted.

Houjun looked surprised. "I DID?" He turned to look at the pattern again. "Where on earth did that come from? I don't even believe in that sort of stuff..." His gaze became unfocused once more.

"Whoever created this sigil is very powerful," he murmured, tracing the pattern in the air an inch from the wall. Fiery light trailed from his fingers, hanging in the air and duplicating the complicated pattern. When he finished the last stroke, it flared once, then hung before them, shining brightly.

Houjun stared at his hand, his eyes haunted. "I'm doing it again," he muttered uneasily. "Like in the cafeteria, when I did that... THING."

"When you created a kekkai and saved my life," Tasuki supplied, gripping his friend's shoulder tightly. Houjun looked at him in shock. "Don't fight it, Houjun. I know you don't believe in this shit... but if there is magic of this kind of strength involved, I need you with ALL of your memories!"

"My... memories?" Houjun's eyes widened further. "I... I do remember this. I KNOW this symbol. I know how to break it. Tasuki, how do I know this?"

Tasuki's eyes misted over slightly, to hear Houjun calling him by his Seishi name. "Just trust me, buddy," he replied. "Just go with it. Break it, if you know how. We've GOT to find out what's beyond that doorway!"

Shaking a little, Houjun nodded, and brought his hand up before him. With a slight grunt of concentration, he closed his good eye and focused. Tasuki could feel him sending his chi out to probe the symbol. Slowly, red light formed on his fingertips, and he reached out to place his hand over the circles in his light-symbol.

There was another brief flare, and suddenly the wall was gone. In its place was a solid wooden door, with another, more complicated design burned into the wood.

Houjun was trembling badly now, and Tasuki squeezed his shoulder in support. "Genrou, what is happening to me?" he whispered.

Tasuki grunted. "Houjun, I already told ya - either you're gonna understand, or you won't. And it looks like you will. Lucky for us. Can you tell me what that symbol means?"

Houjun shook his head as if to clear it, and turned to face the door. "Yes. It's another warding pentagram, much stronger this time. I... if I know how to break this one, I don't remember it right now. And..." he paled suddenly, his eyes going wide.

"What? What is it?" Tasuki was afraid he might have pushed his friend too far.

"That's..." Houjun reached out and pointed at one corner of the ornate design. "That's a Mazoku's name, written in runes. I don't recognize it, but it's a very strong demon, I can tell from the ki signature." Licking his lips, he turned wide eyes on Tasuki. "I... I think I know what they're doing. The 'punishments'... are sacrifices. Blood and pain sacrifices... maybe even death sacrifices, I don't know. They're building a dark magic pool, to feed this demon!"

Tasuki paled as well. He and Chichiri had had one brief run in with a minor demon summoner during their wandering years, and the mere thought of the hideous creatures left a sour taste in his mouth. "They're FEEDING us to it?" he whispered in horror.

Houjun nodded, renewing his concentration on the sigil. He began to trace a light pattern of it, as he had before. "I... I don't know how I know this, but I'm CERTAIN of it. We HAVE to do something to stop them, or the demon will eventually gain enough power to open a portal from the Makai to the mortal realm! I..."

His fingertip accidentally brushed the edge of the pattern, and suddenly lightning seemed to arc between his body and the door. Houjun screamed, a terrible sound, and collapsed in a little heap.

Terrified, Tasuki watched as the door shimmered, and the wall appeared again. Shaking Houjun's shoulder roughly, he tried to wake the older boy. There was no response. Heaving, he managed to turn him around - and discovered that Houjun's eyes were wide open, staring unseeing into the distance, as he gasped for air like a fish out of water.

Swearing, Tasuki made his decision. He didn't want to move Houjun, but he didn't dare stay there. He was willing to bet that alarms were going off SOMEwhere, and he wanted to get Houjun away from the damn sigil anyway. Grunting, he slung the other's arm over his shoulder and slid his hands beneath Houjun's body. With a massive heave, he had Houjun in his arms, and was carrying him out of the room.

He got them back to their room as quickly as possible, deposited the still immobile Houjun on the bed, and turned off the lights. Then he stood, waiting near the door, straining his ears to hear something.

There was only silence. If anyone had gone to find out who had attempted to break the wards on the door, they hadn't discovered the culprits' identities. They were safe - for now.

Tasuki turned to find Houjun sitting up, one hand to his head, and a dazed look on his face. Holding his breath, he approached cautiously. "Houjun? You okay?"

His roommate blinked at him uncertainly. "T-tasuki? Is that you?"

Tasuki's eyes went wide, and he nodded tentatively. "Chichiri? You remember me?"

Houjun shuddered once, then his expression cleared. With a sunny smile that Tasuki remembered well, he replied, "Of course, no da. Didn't I promise you we'd be together in the next life, na no da?"


	9. Chapter 9

Li Houjun, former Suzaku Shichiseishi Chichiri, gazed unseeing at the ceiling of his room. He was sprawled out over his narrow bed, one arm thrown over his forehead, his thoughts firmly in the past.

 _History repeats itself,_ he thought, images from both of his lives swirling past his mind's eye. He and Tasuki had talked late into the night, the former bandit helping him to sort out his memories and get a grip on the new power which flowed through him. _I wonder if the person who said that had lived a past life? If not, they had NO idea how right they were._

Rolling over, he pillowed his head on one arm and stared blankly at the wall. _Hikou, Kouran. Are we destined to repeat the same, bloody cycle, over and over again?_ His free hand rose, shaking, to trace the outline of his scar. _An unending circle of jealousy and rage, bitterness and hatred?_

For the first time in many years, he allowed his thoughts to travel back to that horrible, terrible day. Now, he had a new basis for comparison - the same events, in his past life.

_Hikou. At least this time, I think I have a better understanding of what happened to us. You were so afraid of losing us to each other, weren't you? Baka. You never understood me. I would never have left you alone._

He remembered the thrill of shock that had run through him when he walked in to his fiancee's house, to find her wrapped in the arms of his best friend. Now, he had another memory to go along with it - Hikou's last words to him in their previous life. "Just once, I wanted to feel it. The softness of her lips... her warmth."

A small chuckle escaped him, but there was no mirth in it. _What stupid, foolish children we were. Not even understanding our feelings. He was in love with her, she was in love with me... and I... I... I was miserably in love with him, and trying to deny it._

Kouran; his fiancée, a bright spot in his life. Oh, he had loved her, he couldn't deny it - as a brother loves a sister, as one life-long friend loves another. When she had confessed her feelings for him, on his 15th birthday, he had been surprised and uncertain. Even then, he had known there was something 'different' about himself. When Hikou and his other male friends had been laughing and drooling over gorgeous female idols, he had found himself drawn more to the beautiful males. The phantom dreams of a decidedly male lover named 'Tasuki' hadn't helped the problem.

But he had been terrified of that 'differentness' inside him, afraid that his family and friends would reject him. Afraid, most of all, of losing Hikou's friendship and support. So he had buried it, deep down in his heart, and when Kouran had confessed her love, he had sworn to return it.

And at first, it had all worked out so well. Hikou had been happy for them, laughing and joking with their other friends that Houjun and Kouran were a storybook-perfect couple. It was Hikou who had covered for them on countless occasions when they had snuck away to be 'alone together'; it was Hikou who had supported Houjun through a massive case of nerves when he had first decided to propose to Kouran.

But somewhere along the line, the laughter and joking had turned bitter. He still didn't know just what had gone wrong; perhaps, in his efforts to deny his feelings for Hikou and force himself to fall in love with Kouran, he had avoided his friend too much. Perhaps Kouran, always jealous of the amount of time and attention her boyfriend gave his friend, had said something to Hikou to drive him away. All he knew for certain, was that his world had come tumbling down, that day he found them kissing.

He'd always known that Hikou was in love with Kouran. But seeing it, seeing her receive the passionate kiss that he had only dreamed of, something inside him had snapped, badly. Kouran's declaration that she could no longer marry him had only fueled his unreasoning rage.

_I would have been, if not happy, at least content, I think; married to her and with him as our best friend. But she wouldn't have been. She always sensed that there was someone I loved more than her, though she didn't know who it was. She would have grown bitter eventually. Perhaps she would even have discovered my secret; I certainly dreamed about him often enough, nearly as often as I dreamed of Tasuki. But it doesn't matter now - I'll never know what might have happened._

He rolled onto his back, clenching his eyes shut and pressing the heels of his hands against them. False flashes of light fired in his mind, but it wasn't enough to block the memories of what happened next.

_Hikou, Hikou! Gods, what an idiot I was! Insane with jealousy and rage, I attacked you. I couldn't have you - and I didn't want anyone else to have you, either! I demanded that you give her back to me - but it wasn't really her I wanted, and we both knew it._

He remembered the frantic look in Hikou's eyes, as they had struggled over the knife at the water's edge. Remembered the tears, blurring his own vision, even as the rage ate away inside him. He remembered the dawning comprehension on Hikou's face, the understanding of why his friend was truly so upset, even as the floodwaters dissolved the bank from beneath his feet.

_I dropped the knife and grabbed you - at least I had that much sense left to me. As Chichiri, I promised you that I would never let go of your hand again. And I didn't! I didn't let go! Hikou, WHY did you let go of my hand?!_

They'd both seen it coming; the log, with its jagged end, which would have struck Houjun across the face. In a split second that had lasted for an eternity, Hikou's eyes had widened in shock... and then he had released his hold on his friend's hand, jerking backwards and forcing Houjun's grip to break. He could still remember, the last words on his lips as the wild current had swept him away to a watery death: "Houjun, I forgive you. Remember."

_Now I know what he meant. In that last moment, I believe his memories returned to him, of his death in the past life. He KNEW that log would strike me, knew what would happen if it did. And he didn't want me to live with that pain again._

Tears ran freely down his face now, as he continued to remember. "That scar... she would be shocked, to see it," the demon-Hikou had said to Chichiri as he lay dying from Tasuki's flame. _He was trying to prevent me from suffering with the knowledge that I had let him go - that I wasn't strong enough to hold him through the pain._

He murmured aloud the words he had said then. "At that time... no matter what... I should never have let go." Sitting up, tears still streaming over his cheeks, he stood and walked to his mirror.

His scarred reflection looked back at him, eyes haunted and full of sorrow. Tear tracks on his cheeks heightened the feeling of great weight and despair which surrounded him. "In the last life, and in this one," he said aloud, his hand going to trace his scar once more. "Suzaku, why do you torture me so?"

 _And his sacrifice didn't even save me. Here, I was not a Seishi, I had no powers, no Taiitsu-kun to take me in and train me. Here, now, I was only a frightened teenager, who returned to find his fiancée and family gone as well - everything, all of it, swept away by the floodwaters._ Confused, lost, and helpless in the face of flying accusations, he barely remembered his trial. He hadn't contested the guilty verdict - how could he? Though they had not died by his hand, it had been his actions which had caused both Kouran and Hikou's deaths.

Though his mind flinched away from the memories, he forced himself to relive those horrible years in prison. The guards had been callous and cruel, the other inmates malicious and sadistic. He had been brutally raped, repeatedly - the one time he had tried fighting back, he had lost his eye to a blunt, wooden knife that someone had fashioned.

_Perhaps that was my punishment, for making the same mistakes all over again. Aren't we supposed to learn, from one life to the next? To grow, and handle things better? Suzaku knows, I hurt Hikou and Kouran just as badly this time around._

Cupping his hands before him, he felt energy gathering between his fingers. Such a strange sensation, the working of magic, and yet so familiar at the same time. A simple cantrip entered his mind, and he whispered the short incantation without thinking.

Energy coalesced in his hands, solidified, and became matter. He held a mask, ever smiling, ever cheerful. Blinking, he stared at it.

 _In the last life, I hid my pain behind laughter and smiles. In this one, I hid it behind roughness and frowns. But I was always hiding._ Hesitantly, he raised the mask to his face. He felt a tingle in his skin, as the magical mask fastened itself securely to him. Looking in the mirror again, he was surprised at how odd the smiling face looked.

 _That's not me, anymore. I don't need to hide behind a mask now. Hikou has forgiven me, in both lives - and I have Tasuki. I'm not afraid to face who I am anymore._ Reaching up, he removed the mask, and was surprised to find a hint of a real smile on his face. _I was hardly wearing it anymore, by the time Tasuki died, anyway,_ he remembered. _He always hated it when I hid my real feelings from him._

The sound of a key turning in the lock broke him from his reverie, and he turned as the door swung open.

"Man, Chichiri, I just ran into Soi - Kaen, you know - in the hall, and you wouldn't believe how bad she looks! She took one look at me and went tearing off in the other..." Tasuki broke off as he saw the mask in Chichiri's hands.

His eyes widened, and he stormed forward and grabbed the mask from his roommate's grasp. "Don't you dare," he snarled, anger glimmering in his amber gaze. "Don't you DARE start hiding from me like that, dammit!"

Chichiri felt the last of his sorrow melting away, washed out of him by the familiar argument with his lover. "I wasn't," he replied, smiling. "The incantation just came to me, and before I knew it, I was holding the mask. But I don't need it anymore."

"Yer damn straight you don't need it anymore!" Tasuki replied, crushing the offending object in his hands and tossing it into a wastebasket. "Dammit, I thought you worked through all this shit, when the demon-Hikou forgave you... OH!" He broke off, eyes wide. "Chiri... you went to prison... 'cause..."

"It happened again," Chichiri nodded, his smile wavering a little. "But... this time, I didn't let him go. He jerked out of my grasp. He remembered, I think, and wanted to spare me this time."

"Then... how did you get the scar?"

"In prison, like I said. I lost my eye in a fight." His expression darkened, and he looked away, unable to meet Tasuki's eyes.

Gentle fingers beneath his chin forced his face back up again, to meet a loving amber gaze. "You were raped, in prison, weren't you?" Chichiri nodded, unable to speak past the lump in his throat. Tasuki pulled him into a crushing embrace. "It ain't your fault, Chiri. Don't EVER think any less of yourself 'cause of it, okay? Promise me."

"I... I don't, not really," Chichiri replied. "And I do promise you... as long as you promise me, you won't let what Kaen and Chuin did to you, make you think less of yourself."

"That's a promise, buddy," Tasuki said. His warm gaze became more serious, and Chichiri felt caught in the deep amber pools. "Chichiri, I love you. No matter what your past is, in this life or the last one, I love you with all my heart and soul."

"Tasuki... I..." he licked his lips, and swallowed hard. The heat in his once-lover's expression seemed to sear through him. "Tasuki, I love you too," he whispered finally, and was rewarded by the feel of Tasuki's lips on his own.

The kiss was hot and sweet, as they explored and relearned the taste and feel of one another. It felt strange, and yet familiar, and Chichiri was breathless by the time they finally pulled apart.

He buried his head in Tasuki's shoulder, as the ex-bandit's arms came up to surround him. Tasuki's hands traced soothing circles on his back, and Chichiri wound his own arms around his lover's waist.

"That's all in the past, Chiri," Tasuki murmured softly. "All that matters now, is that you and I are together again, like we were meant to be. Gods, I've missed you so much, even though I didn't know it!"

"I've missed you too, Tasuki. I've dreamed about you for years."

Tasuki gave him a fanged grin. "Yeah, I know. You talk in your sleep, didja know that?" Chichiri blushed, and he laughed. "I dreamed about you too. And it just about drove Kouji nuts."

Chichiri blinked. "Why did that drive Kouji nuts?"

Tasuki laughed. "'Cause every freakin' time he ever got me off, it was YOUR name I was callin'. And neither of us had a damned clue who the hell 'Chichiri' WAS."

Chichiri's good eye widened, and he blushed more. "You... when he... got you..." he squeaked. Suddenly many of the exchanges between the two friends, which had confused him at the time, made much more sense. "You're... together?"

Tasuki's expression darkened suddenly. "We were. But he didn't take the news that I was in love with you very well."

"Ah..." Chichiri was beginning to understand. "That's what you fought about, just before he left?"

"Yeah." Tasuki raked his hand through his hair. "It doesn't matter, though... if past experiences are anything to go on," he winked, "Kouji'll get over it eventually."

With a sudden move, Tasuki swept Chichiri off his feet, and dumped the protesting older boy onto his bed. "Enough talk," he growled, catching Chichiri's hands in his and leaning over till their faces were only inches apart. Chichiri felt his heart racing at his nearness. "It's been waaaaay too long since we've been together, dammit."

"Hai, no da," Chichiri whispered. He grinned to hear himself say it - the silly speech patterns of his past returned so easily, when he wasn't thinking about it. "Tasuki-kun no da... let's make our dreams into reality."

Tasuki's eyes sparkled with lust and love. "One dream-turned-real, comin' up," he replied, and leaned in for another kiss.

This one was a little less gentle than the last, and a good deal hotter; Chichiri felt as if his very bones were melting beneath Tasuki's fiery assault. He returned the kiss with equal fervor - he might have been somewhat shy and submissive in the last life, but he was a good deal more aggressive now!

Tasuki broke the kiss with a laugh as Chichiri's hands on his shoulders tumbled him backwards onto the narrow bed. Their positions now reversed, Chichiri half on top of him, he gave a fanged grin up at his partner. "What? You want somethin'?"

"You know what I want," Chichiri returned heatedly, as he leaned down to nibble delicately on Tasuki earlobe. The flame-haired youth gasped and squirmed beneath him, hands clenching in Chichiri's shirt.

"Ahhh... Chichiri!" Tasuki cried out as Chichiri thrust a wet tongue in his ear. Giggling, he wriggled away from the odd sensation. "Quit it, that tickles... oh!" He gasped again and threw his head back as Chichiri's tongue trailed down to the arch of his neck.

"So passionate," Chichiri murmured, drinking in the sight of Tasuki writhing beneath him. "Suzaku, I've dreamed of having you like this..." He bent his head to kiss his lover once more.

Tasuki's tongue swept out to meet his, tangling and dueling in a battle of lust. One of his hands threaded through Chichiri's silky dark hair, while the other came to rest firmly at his lower back.

When they broke for air, Tasuki brought a handful of Chichiri's longish hair around to the front, rubbing it between his fingers with a thoughtful look on his face. "For the longest time, I couldn't figure out why I had this nagging feeling that your hair was supposed to be BLUE," he chuckled. "But I like it this way, too... I like the way it frames your face."

Chichiri laughed. "I could turn it blue again fairly easily no da," he murmured, "If I used my magic. But I'd have a hard time explaining to people how I managed to get my bangs to stand straight up na no da!"

"Hair gel," Tasuki replied, chuckling at the image. "But if you really want to freak them out, just wear your mask. Good luck explaining where your scar went."

"I don't need to hide behind those things any more no da," Chichiri replied firmly. "I am myself no da, and I'm not ashamed of who I am now. I learned that much, at least, in the last life na no da."

"Well, good, 'cause I like ya best just as ya are," Tasuki replied, his voice husky with emotion.

Chichiri swept his own fingers through Tasuki's fiery locks. "Remind me to chop off both Kaen and Chuin's hair, in retaliation for cutting yours off, no da," he said fiercely. "It was beautiful. I lost a lot of sleep, picturing how it would look, loose and flowing around you in the midst of passion."

Tasuki blushed. "Geez, yer as bad as Kouji. I'm kinda glad it's short again, it was drivin' me nuts anyway. But feel free to do anything nasty you feel like to the bitches."

Chichiri blinked. "Did you say, earlier, that Kaen was SOI no da?"

"Yeah, they're Soi and Tomo. Can't you tell?"

"Yes, now that I think about it, it's obvious na no da. Great Suzaku... I wonder where Nakago is no da."

"Funny, I thought the same thing, when I realized who they were. But!" Tasuki wagged an admonishing finger in his face. "You're changing the subject! No more talking!" He fused his lips to Chichiri's to prevent the older boy from saying another word.

Chichiri readily complied, his body aching for Tasuki's touch. He leaned into the kiss, putting all the years of repressed, pent-up passion he had into it.

Tasuki gasped beneath the onslaught, then returned it with equal fervor. Without losing their liplock, he leaned upwards and tugging Chichiri downwards, reversing their positions once again.

Smirking, he broke away, his hand trailing down to the front of Chichiri's shirt. Chichiri gasped as nimble fingers found and toyed with his nipples through the thin cotton, while his other hand was busy with the buttons. As each clasp was released, Tasuki worshiped the newly-revealed expanse of golden skin with his tongue, causing Chichiri to cry out and writhe beneath him.

Chichiri grasped the bottom of Tasuki's t-shirt, and tugged, pulling the material out of his jeans. He continued pulling it upwards, and Tasuki sat up obligingly, allowing him to remove the shirt entirely. For a long moment, they just stared at one another, cataloguing the differences and similarities between their bodies now and then.

Both of them had more scars - without the Seishi's near-inhuman ability to heal wounds, more of their fights had left marks on them. Chichiri's body was a little firmer, and more muscled, though not much. Tasuki had one long scar, which wound upwards from his right lower abdomen to his left shoulder, from the knife fight that had gotten him sent to this school in the first place.

Chichiri traced the line with gentle fingers, his eye sad. Tasuki squirmed beneath the light touch, chuckling softly. "Oi, quit ticklin' me," he muttered, as he leaned down to claim another kiss. Chichiri arched up to meet him, and electricity crackled between them as their bare chests met.

Tasuki rolled himself over so that they were facing one another, neither dominant or submissive. "Chiri, I love you," he murmured breathlessly, his hands tracing winding paths over all of Chichiri's torso. Chichiri shivered beneath his touch, his own hands moving restlessly.

"I love you, too, Tasuki," he replied softly. "I've waited so long to find you again."

Tasuki let his hands dip lower, tracing the waistband of Chichiri's jeans teasingly. Sliding his hands around to his partner's back, he dipped beneath the denim at the small of his back. Chichiri tensed as his fingertips brushed along the top of his ass.

"It's okay," Tasuki soothed him. "I won't hurt you... you know that. You remember how good it felt, ne?"

"I... I trust you, Tasuki," Chichiri whispered in return. He grinned, suddenly. "And what makes you so sure you get to be seme? I'm not as passive as I used to be." With a shove, he was looming over his lover again, his fingers playing idly with Tasuki's nipple.

Tasuki's eyes widened. "Are you serious? I mean... if that's what you really want..." he broke off with a moan at Chichiri's ministrations.

Chichiri laughed. "Maybe, someday, I'll try it. But I like what you do to me. Still... I'm not just going to lie back and let you do what you want this time."

Tasuki gave him a fanged grin, eyes glittering with lust. "That's okay with me... but I'll warn ya, I like it a little rough."

Chichiri smirked. "That doesn't surprise me in the least, no da." He raked his nails down Tasuki's chest, and was rewarded with a gasp as Tasuki arched his back off the bed. Leaning in, he fastened his mouth over one of Tasuki's nipples, and began to suck hotly.

Tasuki twined the fingers of one hand in the hair at the back of Chichiri's head, his other hand going down to twist at Chichiri's own nipple. "Ya sure are a lot less shy," he husked. "I like it." He gave a little growl as Chichiri bit down gently, and bent to nibble at his lover's neck.

Chichiri's free hand wandered down to pass lightly over the front of Tasuki's jeans, where his arousal strained the fabric. He thrust his hips up, encouraging his partner to touch harder, but Chichiri trailed his hand away teasingly. Tasuki groaned against his neck, and bit him slightly in retaliation.

Chichiri moaned as Tasuki's tongue swept out to taste the skin just beneath his jaw. Shuddering, his fingers found and released the snap at the top of the younger boy's jeans.

Tasuki let his hands wander down Chichiri's back again, until he encountered the waistband once more. Teasingly, he slid his fingers around to his front, just barely brushing the skin beneath the fabric. Chichiri moaned and squirmed, falling back on the bed to give his lover better access.

Tasuki released the button at the top with a practiced flip of his wrist. He lowered the zipper slowly, allowing the back of his hand to brush up against Chichiri's arousal repeatedly, enjoying the way his lover moaned and threw his head back.

Slipping his hand beneath the denim, he snickered to encounter silk briefs. Massaging Chichiri's swollen member through the delicate material, he grinned to hear the older boy moan louder.

"Tasuki!" Chichiri gasped, thrusting his hips up and driving his erection harder into Tasuki's palm. Tasuki responded by freeing him from the briefs, tugging his jeans down around his thighs and leaving him exposed to the chill air in the room.

Chichiri shivered, bringing his hands down to tug his jeans off completely. Now he was completely naked before his lover, Tasuki's eyes hungrily taking in every inch of exposed alabaster skin.

He traced his fingers lightly over Chichiri's thighs, loving the way the other boy's eyes lit up with lust at his actions. Slowly, he moved his hands to his own pants, drawing them down his legs and tossing them off the bed.

Tasuki stretched out, facing Chichiri, their bodies fitting together perfectly. Wrapping their arms around each other and tangling their legs, they strove to get as close to one another as was physically possible. Their groins brushed together, making them both gasp and moan, as their tongues battled back and forth for dominance.

"I wanna make you feel good, Chiri..." Tasuki whispered, pulling back a little and wrapping his hand around Chichiri's erection. Chichiri's head thrashed on the pillow as Tasuki pumped his fist slowly up and down, his thumb rubbing over the tip gently.

Tasuki grinned to feel several drops of moisture already formed there, and he brought his fingers to his lips to taste. The sweet, salty flavour was like honey on his tongue, and he licked his lips in anticipation, before wiggling downwards and ducking his head.

Chichiri cried out as Tasuki swallowed him whole, his tongue dragging across the sensitive tip and swirling down the sides. Slowly, deliberately, he pumped his head up and down, drawing out the exquisite sensations. One hand came down to fondle his swollen sacs, before trailing further downwards to tease at his hole.

Chichiri thrust his hips against Tasuki's restraining arm, panting hard. He grabbed at Tasuki's shoulder, tugging upwards firmly.

Tasuki raised his head in confusion. "What? You don't want me to?"

Chichiri shook his head, his voice hoarse with passion. "No... I want to taste you, too. Turn around!"

Tasuki's eyes widened, and he gave a little growl of pleasure. Never had Chichiri been so forward in their lovemaking - it was a change he definitely approved of. He squirmed around until he was facing the foot of the bed, sprawled out on top of his lover. Hungrily, he swallowed Chichiri once more, licking and sucking at his entire length.

He nearly screamed aloud when Chichiri returned the favour, his hot, warm mouth engulfing the tip of his member and then withdrawing. His tongue licked up and down the length, then swirled around the tip like he was licking an ice cream cone.

Tasuki gasped, pulling away for a moment. "Chiri... where'd you learn to do that?"

He could feel Chichiri's smirk against him. "By remembering what you used to do to me, no da," he answered, before returning to his efforts to drive Tasuki absolutely crazy.

Tasuki was lost in the pleasure, swept up and carried off by a million sensations. Nothing in this life had ever felt so RIGHT, as making love to his Chichiri. Finally, he had to jerk his hips out of Chichiri's reach, before their fun was ended prematurely.

"Nani?" Chichiri gasped. "Did I do something wrong?"

Tasuki shook his head, turning to face his lover once more. "Hell, no. You were doin' just fine. TOO fine... was about to choke ya." He grinned, to see a dazed, passionate look in his lover's eyes.

Chichiri kissed him passionately, urgency clear in both of their actions. Tasuki pulled away, gasping, to mutter, "You ready for this? I wanna draw it out, but it's been too damn long..."

Chichiri nodded. "I want you... Suzaku, I want you so badly, Tasuki! Take me, please... I want to be yours again. I want to be one with you!"

Tasuki shivered at the raw passion and longing in his lover's voice, and slipped off the bed. "Chotto," he muttered, padding across the room to dig through one of his desk drawers. Chichiri watched him, curious, then blushed as he pulled out a small tube triumphantly.

"One improvement over the last life," Tasuki grinned at him, flipping the cap open and squeezing some of the oil onto his palm to warm it. "We don't hafta improvise."

The lubricant sufficiently warmed, he coated two fingers in the puddle on his palm, and carefully began to work them into Chichiri's body. The older boy fisted his hands in the sheets and arched his back off the bed, striving to push those intrusive fingers deeper inside himself. Tasuki smirked and kissed him, but took his time, not wanting to hurt his lover.

When he was able to fit three fingers all the way inside Chichiri's body, he pulled back and used the remaining oil to lubricate his own shaft. Chichiri trembled with anticipation and desire, his warm brown gaze melting with passion. Shivering slightly, Tasuki positioned himself carefully over his soul mate's body.

"You ready?" he whispered, his warm breath ghosting over the shell of Chichiri's ear and making him shudder a little.

"Hai no da..." Chichiri moaned, barely coherent. Tasuki probed forward, and they both gasped as the head of his erection slipped past the resisting ring. "Deeper, Tasuki! Please..."

Tasuki slid forward an inch at a time, reveling in the tightness and heat of his lover's body. Chichiri's legs came up to wrap around his waist, driving him further in, until with a last gasp, he was engulfed to the base.

They were both panting as he halted, wanting to draw out the incredible sensations. Chichiri squirmed beneath him, trying to make him move, his hands clenching and unclenching against Tasuki's back.

Finally, he just couldn't stand it anymore. He drew back, then thrust in again, rocking his hips forward to get the maximum penetration. Chichiri sobbed in pleasure, thrusting his own hips up to meet Tasuki, as they began a driving rhythm. Their bodies perfectly in synch, they thrust together again and again.

Tasuki felt his vision graying out at the edges, as the pleasure began to overwhelm him. Shifting his weight to one hand, he brought the other down to wrap around his lover's straining erection, pumping in time to his thrusts.

With a wild cry, Chichiri came, his body tightening around Tasuki's as his seed spurted forth to coat his stomach. Tasuki threw his head back and screamed as he too came, emptying himself into Chichiri's body.

Unable to support himself on his trembling arms, he collapsed into his lover's embrace. Chichiri stroked his back gently, as their bodies unwound and cooled down slowly.

"Wo ai ni no da," Chichiri murmured sleepily, his arms tightening around Tasuki's torso in a brief hug.

"Wo ai ni, Chiri-chan," Tasuki replied, reaching down and snagging the covers to pull them over their sweat-soaked bodies. "Zutto. Wo ai ni."


	10. Chapter 10

Tasuki and Chichiri sat huddled together beneath a pile of their blankets on Chichiri's bed. Diagrams and printed sheets of information were spread out all around them. Tasuki was sitting with his back to the wall, Chichiri planted firmly in his lap, the older boy's head resting on his shoulder as they both examined the papers.

"I can't believe they emptied the library," Tasuki muttered sourly, picking up one page and squinting at the small font.

"I can," Chichiri replied, drawing yet another diagram in his sketchbook. "It's the smartest thing for them to do. If they don't have any books on demons or magic or the like in the library, then there's less chance that anyone might stumble across the truth of what's happening here."

"Yeah, but who would suspect they're summoning a demon anyway?" Tasuki snorted. "Nobody in their right mind would ever believe it."

"We do," Chichiri pointed out, biting his lip in concentration.

Tasuki grinned at him. "Yeah, well, who said we were in our right minds?" Chichiri stifled a chuckle as he continued to draw. "And anyway, it didn't help them. There's more than enough info on the internet."

"Ah, but most students don't have a net connection," Chichiri replied. "The only reason I do is because I hacked into a satellite connection with my laptop."

Tasuki stared at him. "You... you hacked it? Are you serious?"

Chichiri finally looked up at him, blinking in surprise. "Yes, I'm serious. Why?"

Tasuki had to laugh. "I just... you never struck me as the hacker type, is all. You were always such a goody-goody, lecturin' me on bein' a bandit and stuff."

"Well, my life was very different this time around," Chichiri answered, turning back to his drawing. He made a few final strokes, then tore the page off and held it to the light. "I think this is what we want."

Tasuki looked at the page - it was all random lines and circles to him. "If you say so. You're the magic expert. I just supply the muscle."

Chichiri tapped him lightly on the nose. "Don't be so down on yourself, no da. You may act like a baka sometimes, but you and I both know you're just as intelligent as I am."

Tasuki gave him a fanged grin. "Ah, admit it. Ya just love me fer my incredible body."

"And the mind-blowing sex," Chichiri nodded, his face solemn. Tasuki gaped at him for a moment, until the older boy couldn't keep himself from laughing. "Tasuki-kun no baka! I'm teasing you na no da!"

Tasuki shook his head, his eyes laughing. "I just can't get used to how forward ya are now! Not that I'm complainin', mind ya! I like it."

Lust glittered in Chichiri's good eye, as he snuggled a little closer. "That much has been evident, no da. I think I've barely gotten any sleep in the last two weeks, na no da!"

Tasuki bent his head until their lips were only a breath apart. "So? I don't hear ya complaining about it." Whatever answer Chichiri might have given was swallowed by a passionate kiss.

Things were just starting to get steamy, as Tasuki had his hand inside Chichiri's shirt while the older boy wiggled his ass against Tasuki's growing arousal, when a knock at the door interrupted them.

"Genrou? You in there, buddy? We need to talk."

Tasuki halted, his hand still inside Chichiri's shirt, and bit his lip thoughtfully. Chichiri tried to move off him, to let him answer his friend, but Tasuki held him tightly. "No, you stay here. He's gonna have to face this sooner or later - he might as well deal with it all now."

"Are you sure, no da?" Chichiri replied quietly. "It might be easier to talk to him alone, and explain things first."

"Explain what? I already tried that - that's what got us into the fight before he left. Can ya open the door from where ya are?" Chichiri nodded, and waved his hand at the door. A small 'click' was heard as the lock released. "Come in!" Tasuki shouted.

The door opened slowly, and Kouji poked his head in. "Gen-chan? Are you..." he trailed off as he saw the two of them cuddled together. A brief look of bitterness passed over his face, followed by a more lasting one of sadness and regret. "Ah... gomen. I didn't mean to interrupt. I'll come back later..."

Tasuki shot his friend an irritated glance. "Baka. Come in and sit down. Yer right, we need to talk. There's a lot I need ta tell ya, if yer willin' to listen."

Kouji seemed to debate for a moment, then slowly moved forward to perch on Tasuki's bed. Now that he had his friend in hearing range, Tasuki found himself at a loss for what to say. Kouji seemed no more comfortable with the situation, fidgeting nervously and not looking either of them in the face.

Finally, it was Chichiri who broke the silence. "Gomen, Kouji-kun no da," he said softly, remembering the last time he and Tasuki had faced this situation. Kouji hadn't been any happier at losing his lover in the previous life.

Kouji looked up, startled. "What're YOU apologizin' for?" He asked.

"I know that you care about Tasuki... I mean, about Genrou, no da. I can only imagine how I would feel, if I lost him to someone else na no da." Chichiri felt Tasuki hug him tighter in reassurance, and squeezed back. "Demo, he cares about you too... he was upset about your fight, na no da."

Kouji gave him an odd look. "You sound funny. What's with the 'no da' thing?"

Chichiri blushed. "Anou... it's a long story, na no da."

Kouji growled. "Everythin' involving Genrou is a 'long story' these days." He sighed, and shoved his hand through his bangs. "So, you love him, then? All right, fine. Guess there's nothin' I can do about it. I won't try ta come between ya." He stood, still not looking his friend in the eye. "And Genrou, I'm sorry about what I said, before. I thought about it, like ya said, and I realized ya wouldn't really do that to me. I was just bein' an ass."

"I forgive you," Tasuki replied quietly. "And I'm sorry that it had to happen this way again. I woulda liked to have done things differently, but I guess that's just how they had to work out."

"Again?" Kouji frowned. "Yer getting' weirder by the day, you know that Gen-chan? I don't understand you at all anymore."

"You'll understand someday, buddy," Tasuki said, sighing softly. "At least, I sure hope so. It'll make things a hell of a lot easier."

"Well, can't you just explain it to me? Why do ya gotta be all mystical and shit?"

"It won't work, no da," Chichiri put in. "You'd never believe us. I didn't believe him, until I figured it out for myself no da." He shook his head and glanced wryly down at the diagrams he'd been drawing. "It's all connected, everything that's been happening here no da. But the pieces won't make any sense, no matter how we try to explain them, until you put them together for yourself, na no da."

Kouji snorted. "Yer both gettin' weird." He stood and moved to the door, turning to look back at them as he paused in the doorway. They made an unbearably sweet picture, curled up together, and he felt his heart squeeze painfully. "Well, I wish ya both luck. Yer gonna need it."

"We still buddies?" Tasuki was almost afraid of the answer, but he had to know.

Kouji blinked, then a slow grin spread over his face. "Dumbass. Of course we are. We were born in the same friggin' hospital room, it's gonna take more than you fallin' in love to tear us apart. Best buddies forever, remember? Besides, SOMEbody's gotta be around to deflate that massive ego of yours!" Laughing, he let the door swing shut behind him.

Tasuki gave a rueful smile. "Yeah, I remember. Better than you do, aniki." Sighing, he stretched, then clutched Chichiri to him in a sudden hug.

"Oi!" Chichiri exclaimed, laughing. "What's that for?"

"Fer bein' so understandin' about Kouji and me," Tasuki replied with a fanged grin. "And just to reassure ya that I love ya, and I always will. Lose me to someone else, indeed!"

Chichiri picked up his finished diagram, and waved it under Tasuki's nose. "So, are we ready to try this, no da? With school starting again in two days, most of the staff members are coming back. I want to try this before they all get here - one of them might be capable of blocking my powers, no da. It might already be too late."

Tasuki nodded agreeably, and let the ex-monk climb over him and off the bed. He watched as Chichiri began to replicate the design on a large piece of plain white paper they had snitched from the school's supply closet. Well, that Tasuki had snitched. At each of the cardinal points, he placed white candles, which Tasuki had borrowed from Naisu, who had returned the day before. The ex-monk frowned, considering them.

"They really ought to be the proper colours, no da," he murmured, tapping his foot absently.

"Hell, we're lucky to get any at all," Tasuki replied. "They're against school policy, but Naisu is Wiccan and she said she sneaks 'em in for her circles. But she didn't have any coloured ones."

"They're most likely against school policy, so that people can't do something similar to what we're about to try." Chichiri added a few more lines to the drawing with coloured pencil crayons, then stepped back and examined the finished product. "That's as good as I can make it, no da. Now all we can do is pray."

"What do you need me to do?" Tauski asked, sliding off the bed.

Chichiri gestured to the south. "Sit there, just outside the circle, and focus your thoughts on Suzaku na no da. Just like the summoning ceremony no da."

Tasuki stared at his lover. "Are you out of your freakin' mind?" he exclaimed. "When you said you were gonna call someone to help us, I didn't think you meant Suzaku! You're not the friggin' Miko, Chiri, you could get yourself killed!"

Chichiri smiled to reassure him. "I'm not going to call Suzaku, Tasuki, don't worry so much no da! But I AM going to need some of his power to reach the Shijin Tenchi Sho... assuming it's possible at all."

Sighing, Tasuki complied, settling himself down at the southern end of the circle and bringing his hands up before him. Concentrating on the point of his fingers, he was only half-aware of Chichiri beginning to chant at the northern end.

 _Suzaku, focus on Suzaku. Fiery One, what are you doing to us?_ He could feel a tingle of power flowing through and around him, and the coloured lines on the circle began to glow with a soft light. _Our lives have been practically the same, from start to finish - I don't care so much about mine, but why does Chichiri have ta suffer so damn much?_

The glow diffused suddenly, and Chichiri glanced up, irritated. "Tasuki, concentrate no da! Just think of Suzaku, nothing else na no da!"

"Eh, gomen." Tasuki sighed and tried again.

_Suzaku, Suzaku, Suzaku. Wonder who he's tryin' to call? Baka, clear your damn mind! Suzaku, Suzaku, Suzaku..._

His eyes slid closed as he fell into a half-trance, the energy picking up in strength and whirling around them. The diagram glowed and pulsed, and the candles at the four points suddenly sparked to life. As the flames burned strongly, Chichiri's voice grew louder, the chant ringing through Tasuki's ears and seeming to root his body to the floor. He felt the energy of the God of Fire, Suzaku, Protector of the South, enter the circle, and felt his chi responding. There was a flash of heat on his right arm, and he knew that if he looked, he would see his Seishi symbol glowing brightly.

Chichiri's voice went up sharply in pitch, and now the power began to coalesce in the center, forming a bright, glowing red ball. Time seemed to slow, the world outside the circle growing distant and unimportant. For an endless moment, the power screamed at a feverish intensity, threatening to consume both of them and everything else in its path. Then with a single, sharp command, the glowing ball shattered.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! SUNAKAKE BABA!!!" Tasuki couldn't help himself, he jumped to his feet and groped for a tessen that wasn't there. The withered old crone hovering in midair between them looked on in half-amusement, half-annoyance as he fought to get himself back under control.

Tasuki shivered once and fell back to his knees, glaring at the snickering Chichiri. "Fer Christ's sakes, Chichiri, WARN me when yer gonna call HER!" he exclaimed, trying to get his heart back under control.

"I'm glad to see you remember me so well, bandit-boy," the hag replied in a rough voice. There was a sparkle of laughter in her deep, black eyes.

"Who did you THINK I was trying to call, na no da?" Chichiri replied, still chuckling. "Taiitsu-kun is the only one who might know what's going on, and who is powerful enough to reach across the worlds."

"Actually, you succeeded because of Suzaku's intervention," Taiitsu-kun turned to her former pupil. "I do not have the strength to break the seal that was placed on the Shijin Tenchi Sho. Nor does He, alone. It required you to cast this spell, and at least two Seishi to be present."

"Why?" Tasuki demanded.

Taiitsu-kun shot him a particularly contemptuous look. "Because, fang-boy, the seal which was placed by the Miko..."

"No, I mean, why did He interfere at all?" Tasuki interrupted her. "What's goin' on? Why do we remember all this stuff? I thought people from the book, livin' in the real world, with their Seishi memories, caused problems and stuff. Are we facin' another Tenkou, or what?"

Taiitsu-kun looked at him with a new respect. "Apparently, you have learned some intelligence in this life." Chuckling, and ignoring Tasuki's growl, she continued. "The Majin which this place was built to feed, is indeed very like Tenkou in his powers. Unlike Tenkou, who fed off negative emotions, however, this demon feeds off of physical pain and suffering, as Chichiri has already guessed." She folded her hands into the sleeves of her robes. "You were granted the return of your Seishi memories, because they will be necessary to defeat this demon."

"But why us, na no da?" Chichiri asked. "Does this Majin have some connection to the Shijin Tenchi Sho?"

"In a way, yes. The Majin, who calls himself 'Itami', was originally a member of the Hin race, who worshiped Tenkou. He gained power by making sacrifices to Tenkou, who granted him the ability to feed off the physical pain, in return for a great deal of negative emotions."

"The Hin, no da?" Chichiri blinked. "Nakago's race na no da?"

"Yes, but this man was born long before even Genbu no Miko was called. By the time that he died, he had gained enough power to transform himself into a minor demon. He fed off the pain and suffering of Kutou's constant attempts to conquer the other countries, and grew more and more powerful throughout the centuries. Now he seeks to enter the real world, just as Tenkou did."

"How in the hell are we supposed to fight him?" Tasuki demanded. "This school's been around for nearly 15 years now. Have they been feeding this energy to him all this time? He must be really fucking powerful! It took Miaka and Taka nearly dyin' to destroy Tenkou. What are WE supposed to do?"

"He is not yet as powerful as Tenkou was then," Taiitsu-kun replied. "And he has an important weak spot, that Tenkou did not. At the moment, he is tied to a physical object in this world, which resides in the room behind the seal which the two of you found. If you can destroy that object, then you will destroy his link to reality. He will be damned to float in the Abyss forever."

Tasuki's expression was thoughtful, as his eyes narrowed. "An' what happens then?" he demanded, his voice rough. "If we keep our memories, the seal between the worlds will be broken. Are we gonna forget all about our past lives?"

Taiitsu-kun grunted. "A reasonable assumption, but no. The former Seishi reborn into this world, and many of those close to them, have a much stronger connection with their past lives than ordinary people. In times of trauma, they are likely to regain at least a partial memory of their powers, as Soi did in the confrontation in the cafeteria."

"The Seishi... and those close to them?" Chichiri repeated softly. "Then Hikou..."

"Did remember his past life, yes." Taiitsu-kun's face held the softest expression Tasuki had ever seen on it, as she placed a gentle hand on her former pupil's bowed shoulder. "As you surmised, he was attempting to spare you the pain caused by letting him go."

"But we're still allowed to remember all this, when it's finished? Ya aren't gonna, like, give us memory globes or that shit?" Tasuki persisted.

"Hmph. No, your memories will not be taken from you. You aren't even the first to regain your full memories."

"Yosha!" Tasuki gave a fanged grin. "So, when do we get started kickin' this demon's ass?"

"Not so fast," Taiitsu-kun replied. "You're a little under-equipped at the moment."

"What do ya mean? Chiri's got his magic, and me to guard his back. What more do we need?"

"This, for starters." The crone held her hands together before her, and with a grunt of concentration, a pink glow formed between them. It grew into a sizable sphere, until finally it burst with an audible 'pop'.

"Nyan!" The kawaii, blue-haired child held up on hand in the victory sign. Tasuki and Chichiri both facevaulted.

"Nyan-nyan!" Chichiri exclaimed. "What are you doing here no da?"

Taiitsu-kun growled. "That was NOT what I was trying to summon. Blasted pests."

"I wanted to say 'hi'!" The Nyan-nyan giggled in its high pitched voice, and flashed them the victory sign again. Then she jumped into the air, did a double-backflip, and returned to energy form.

This time, when the bubble popped, a shining metal object was left to settle into Taiitsu-kun's gnarled hands.

"My tessen!" Tasuki exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "All RIGHT! Now I can REALLY kick some ass!" Snatching the metal fan from Taiitus-kun's grasp, he struck a dramatic pose, cackling maniacally.

"AHOU!" The Creator thumped him squarely on the head, and he plopped back down, rubbing his head irritably. "That's just a beginning. Itami has gathered a great deal of power over the years. He's very nearly ready to make his entrance. In addition to his own, personal power, he has control of several very powerful underlings. You're going to need help to fight them."

"Why the fuck has this been left so damn long?" Tasuki demanded. "Why the fuck wasn't he stopped earlier, when he was powerless enough to be stopped easily?"

"It is that very power, which will be his downfall," Taiitsu-kun replied. "He is destroying the balance between Good and Evil, which is what is allowing the Four Gods to act on this."

"Allowing them to bring their Seishi into play, you mean," Chichiri put in. "So, when he wasn't very powerful, the Gods were not permitted to act?"

"Exactly."

"Well, where the hell are we supposed ta find help?" Tasuki snorted. "This may be a school full of delinquents, but I don't think any of 'em are quite up to demon-slaying."

"The other Seishi?" Chichiri hazarded a guess. "You said there were others whose memories had been revived. Will they be joining us?"

Taiitsu-kun gave a muffled cough. "Not... exactly," she said, seeming suddenly evasive.

Tasuki wasn't about to let her get away with that, demi-god or not. "Then WHAT, exactly?" he growled. "Dammit, I'm not goin' up against a near-god without all the information I can get! What are we workin' with, here? Who're our allies gonna be?"

"You have no way of contacting the other Suzaku Seishi, as they are all outside this school. None of them have the ability to call upon me, or I would send them to you. Besides, those who have been awakened are dealing with problems of their own."

"If not the other Suzaku, then WHO?" Tasuki was frustrated with the mind-games Taiitsu-kun was apparently trying to play.

"There are... other Seishi than the Suzaku," Chichiri murmured, realization dawning on his face, to be mingled with his disgust. "Here, at this school."

Tasuki's jaw clenched, and his knuckles turned white around the handle of his tessen. "No. Absolutely not. NO FUCKIN' WAY!" He jumped to his feet to shout the last into Taiitsu-kun's impassive face.

"I am NOT workin' with those two fuckers!" He nearly screamed, his face red with rage. "Never mind what they did to us in the LAST fucking life, they're even MORE sadistic now!"

Taiitsu-kun was unperturbed by his fury. "You don't know everything, boy." She replied. "They, too, suffered many of the same hardships in this life that they did in the last. And, like Chichiri, they did not have the fact that they were Seishi to protect them this time."

The mention of Chichiri's past hit him in the face like a wet towel, and he calmed down a little. "That's different," Tasuki growled. "Chichiri has never hurt anybody."

"But I could have," Chichiri replied quietly. "In this life, as Houjun, I never really learned to deal with my temper. I didn't have Taiitsu-kun to teach me control, and I didn't have a purpose to my life, as I did as a Seishi. You saw how bitter and antisocial I was, before you started trying to draw me out. While I have NEVER enjoyed the kind of 'games' that Kaen and Chuin do, I might very well have ended up hurting someone in a different way."

"NO!" Tasuki shook his head frantically. "They're evil, through and through. No better than the damn demon we're trying to destroy. They're as likely to turn on us and fight for it, as work with us, dammit!" He shivered as the memory of the glee on their faces as they tortured him flooded his mind.

"Tasuki, I don't like it any better than you do," Chichiri stated. "But if Taiitsu-kun says we need their help, then we really do have no other choice."

"You will need to cast a spell to activate their memories fully, Chichiri," Taiitsu-kun interjected. Calling another energy bubble to her, she conjured a scroll, which she handed to the mage. "Kaen has some of them, but they are not complete, and Chuin has none at all. I think you will find, once you have done so, they will be more than eager to help you destroy Itami."

"No, no, and for the last fuckin' time, NO!" Tasuki ground his back teeth together with an audible sound. "I don't give a flyin' fuck what their lives were like. They're bastards, in this life AND the last one, an' nothing is gonna change my mind!"

"Then you will be destroyed," Taiitsu-kun relied solemnly. "And Itami will emerge into this world successfully. If you cannot get over your petty differences with them, you will all die."

"Petty..." Tasuki choked on his own rage, his face turning white, then red, then white again. The hand gripping his tessen shook with fury.

"Taiitsu-kun!" Chichiri leapt to his feet in protest as well. "That's not fair. Tasuki suffered a great deal at their hands. It's not unreasonable that he has no wish to forgive them!"

"If Itami gains access to the mortal world, what Tasuki suffered will be nothing compared to the havoc and pain that he will wreak. If he is too selfish to see beyond that, then he is indeed petty, and hardly worth of being a Suzaku Shichiseishi."

Tasuki lowered his head, his eyes covered by his jagged bangs, his expression brooding. Finally, he raised his face back to theirs, and his gaze was as hard and cold as the metal of his tessen. "Fine," he gritted, the acquiescence obviously costing him. "You bring their memories back, and we'll blow this demon back to hell, where it belongs. But don't expect me to like it. And when this is over..." he propped his tessen against his shoulder, and Chichiri shivered to see the ice in his normally fiery gaze. "When it's over, I'm gonna send both of THEM to hell after him."

He turned on his heel and strode towards the door. Chichiri watched his lover go, apprehension sitting heavily in his heart. This experience would either break Tasuki, or make him stronger; the mage was desperately afraid it might just be the former.


	11. Chapter 11

Tasuki wandered the halls, deep in thought, absently expanding the tessen to its fan shape, then flattening it again. It felt good to have it back in his hands, the cool, solid metal providing a much-needed focus. "It's not gonna work," he muttered to himself. "Those two... how can she expect us to trust them? After everything they've done." A shiver ran down his spine, and he began to realize that he hadn't dealt with his experience nearly as well as he'd thought he had.

_So what? So what if I hate them for it? Shouldn't I? They fucking TORTURED me! They whipped, cut and burned me... they raped me over and over..._

_But it wasn't rape,_ some dark corner of his mind insisted quietly. Insidiously. _You begged them to do it. You WANTED it._

His knuckles whitened around the tessen's handle. _It was the drug!_ He protested wildly. _They fed me that damn drug! I wasn't in control of myself!_

 _But it felt GOOD,_ that velvet voice murmured softly. _You liked what they did to you._

_It was the goddamn drug!_

_It felt even better than what Chichiri does to you..._

_That's NOT TRUE!_ Tasuki was shaking with anger - and fear. _Chichiri LOVES me. That makes it a thousand times better than anything any fucking drug could ever produce!_

_You want to feel it again..._

"NO!!!" Tasuki howled, and slammed his fist into the wall. He stood, trembling, his chest heaving as he struggled for control. He felt utterly sickened by his own thoughts, by his body's hidden craving to feel that impossible, intoxicating pleasure once again.

_You wanted it then, and you want it now..._

"No," he whispered again, oblivious to the frightened and concerned looks he was getting from the other students. He sank to his knees, cradling the tessen against his chest as if to protect it.

_You're no better then they are. Just like Chuin said... a little slut, panting after it like a dog in heat._

"Th-that's not... that's not true..." His trembling increased until his teeth began to chatter, his eyes wild and unseeing.

_You would have raped Miaka, if Taka hadn't stopped you. What gives you the right to pass judgment on them?_

"I... I wouldn't have... I stopped... when I realized... she was crying... I just... I wanted to make her forget him, so she wouldn't cry any more!" his voice was an anguished whisper, tears running unheeded down his cheeks.

_And if she hadn't cried? If she had just kept fighting, and begging you to stop, but hadn't actually cried? What then?_

"I... I ... I don't know... it didn't happen that way... I didn't rape her..."

_You enjoyed it. You LIKED having her struggle. You like it rough. REAL rough. Don't you?_

"NO! NO! Not like that... not like that!"

_THAT'S the real reason you liked what Kaen and Chuin did, isn't it? Who knows what was really in that needle he gave you? It might have been nothing at all. It just gave you the excuse you needed._

"I'm not like that..."

_Aren't you? You've hurt Kouji before, in your 'playing'. And you love it when he's hard on you. Don't you?_

"I... I never... we never did more than bruise each other... and never on purpose..."

_Small steps, Shun'u. It's all shades of grey..._

"Sh-shun'u?" Tasuki blinked to hear that name. He hadn't used it, not once since he'd joined the Leikaku bandits at the age of fifteen. He'd always hated it - he thought it sounded like someone sneezing.

_You don't need a drug to feel that kind of pleasure. I can give it to you... feel..._

A jolt of intense pleasure swept through his body, and he gasped, his eyes squeezing shut with the effort of keeping himself from orgasm right there in the hallway. The pleasure was followed by a wave of pain, and yet somehow, the pain was the pleasure, and the pleasure was the pain, and it was all mixed together in the swirl of irresistible sensation... he wanted more... MUCH more...

_Serve me... and there will be much, much more..._

"Gen-chan?" Kouji's worried voice reached him vaguely through the maelstrom. "Genrou, are you okay? Buddy, what the hell is wrong with ya?"

The feeling of a hand squeezing his shoulder finally gave him the impetus to free himself from that wonderful, horrible sensation. "DON'T!" he nearly screamed, bolting away from his friend's touch like a wounded animal. The amber gaze that met Kouji's was not entirely sane. "Don't touch me! Stay away from me!"

Kouji backed off as Tasuki brandished the tessen menacingly, his friend's eyes flying wildly around the hallway, daring anyone to enter his space. "Okay, okay, Genrou... I won't touch ya if ya don't want me to. But TALK to me, buddy! What's wrong? Did you and Houjun have a fight or somethin'?"

"No... no..." Tasuki shook his head wildly, trying to gather his flyaway thoughts. "Kouji... help me..."

_You do not need him... only me. Come to me, Shun'u. Your fire will feed me, and together, we can rule..._

"NO!" he screamed, and tore at his hair. An arc of fire sprang to life around him, as his wildly fluctuating chi sought an outlet. His Seishi symbol pulsed on his forearm. Now, now he knew who that deep, velvet voice belonged to - but did he have the strength of will to fight it alone? Itami was more powerful than they had imagined, if he could come this close to breaking one of Suzaku's Own Seishi...

"Genrou!" Kouji backed off farther, his eyes wide and frightened as the flame encircled his friend. "Genrou, what's happening?"

"Get... Chichiri..." Tasuki managed to croak, fighting against the dark voice that was trying to consume his mind. "Tell him... tell him... the fucking demon... is trying to... fucking possess me... AH!" He sank to his knees once more before the onslaught, the flames rising higher around him. "GO!" he screamed at his motionless friend. Kouji jumped at the agony in his voice, then turned and ran for the stairs.

_Come to me! Come to me, Shun'u, and I will give you pleasure and power beyond anything you could dream..._

"I... will... NOT... be... tricked... AGAIN!" He summoned all the strength of will that had allowed him to break Hikou's control over him, so long ago, when that demon had tried to make him rape Miaka. The flames leapt and danced around him, their roar nearly deafening him, the heat searing his face and hands. With a final, wordless scream, and an impossible burst of strength, he snapped the hold the Majin had on his mind. "I WILL NOT BETRAY CHICHIRI!"

He heard the snarl of anger and frustration as the demon lost its hold, retreating back into its lair and leaving him panting on the floor. The flames died out, and the only sound was that of his harsh breathing. The other students had long since retreated back into their rooms, terrified of the fire and what it represented.

 _Heh... first Soi's lightning, then Chichiri's shield, now my flames..._ He was barely aware of his own thoughts, as he shifted painfully back to his feet. _They must all be scared out of their fucking minds._

Staggering, he edged his way down the hallway, clinging to the wall for support. With each step he took, he got a little more strength back, a little more of his own mind, until he was possessed by a driving need to GET AWAY from the place where Itami had tried to take him over. _I gotta... get the fuck out of here... before it tries again... but where can I possibly go, that it can't reach me?_

His fingertips met cool wood, and he looked up to see that he had come to the library. _Huh. The library is as far away as you can get from the room that he's in... maybe my instincts are tryin' to tell me somethin'._ Shoving open the doors, he stumbled in and headed for the far corner. _Gotta get as far away as I can... Chiri will find me..._

The sound of a low, frantic voice ahead halted his footsteps, and he peered around the last bookcase to find that someone already occupied his corner. Two someones, in fact.

"Will you PLEASE tell me what the hell is wrong with you?" Chuin was clutching the sleeves of his kimono in tight fists, his expression worried. Tasuki had never seen the other student look so distressed - nor had he ever seen him with so little makeup on. "Kaen, TALK to me!"

Until Chuin had named his companion, Tasuki hadn't even realized that it was Kaen huddled on the floor before him. She was wearing loose jeans and an oversize sweatshirt, her magnificent purple hair knotted and tangled around her. Her face was pale and her eyes wild, as she clutched at her shoulders and rocked slowly back and forth. Tasuki's eyes widened... she looked much like he imagined HE had looked, just moments before.

"I'm just like them..." Kaen whispered, her voice hoarse as if from crying. Her eyes stared right through her worried friend, seeing something beyond them. "I'm just like they were. Everything they did to me... I'm WORSE than they were!"

"WHO?" Chuin demanded, obviously frustrated. "Worse than WHO? Kaen, you're not making any sense! What did that bastard Houjun DO to you? You've been like this for weeks... snap out of it!"

"Nakago saved me from them... and I STILL ended up just like them," Kaen murmured, obviously not hearing Chuin at all.

"Who is Nakago?!" Chuin looked near tears. "You keep apologizing to him... who is he? Kaen!"

The distraught woman looked up suddenly, her gaze locking onto Tasuki's. "You... Suzaku no Seishi... what have you done to me? Why do I remember these things? WHAT AM I?"

Chuin swung around with a snarl, eyes wide as he spotted Tasuki watching them. "You! You did this to her! You little bastard!"

"I didn't do a fucking thing to her," Tasuki replied, leaning against the bookstack and crossing his arms over his chest in an effort to conceal the trembling of his limbs. "She got some of her memories back, is all. Ain't MY fault if she's such a bitch, she can't handle it."

"What memories? You little worm! I'll kill you for this!" Chuin lunged towards him, but skidded to a halt as Tasuki brandished the tessen dangerously. Tiny flames licked hungrily along the edge of the sharp metal fan.

"I wouldn't," he said casually. "Unless and until you get your powers back, you are NO fucking match for me. Even then, I wouldn't put any bets on you. I lived a lot longer than you did, and I learned a hell of a lot about controlling my fire."

"You... lived..." Chuin repeated, dumbfounded. He stared at the flames. "Who are you?" he finally whispered. "WHAT are you?"

"Suzaku Shichiseishi, Tasuki," the ex-bandit replied, lowering the tessen slightly as it looked like Chuin was finally ready to listen. "After the two of you tortured me..." he flicked a glance at Kaen, who had sobbed once at his words, "I got my memories back. Apparently SHE," he jerked his thumb at Kaen, "got some of hers back during that fight in the cafeteria, and tried to call her lightning. Which, in turn, brought back some of Chichiri's memories, when he protected me from it."

"I don't understand..." Chuin shook his head helplessly. "What memories? What's a seishi? Who is Suzaku? WHY is Kaen acting like this?"

"I dunno why the bitch looks like someone's been stompin' on her grave. As for the rest of it... you'll find out as soon as Chichiri gets here."

"I... I was a prostitute slave, in Kutou," Kaen whispered brokenly, lifting a pleading, anguished gaze to Tasuki. "They did all the things to me, that we did to you... and worse, much worse. Nakago... he saved me, and I vowed to devote my life to him. But this time..." she trailed off, her eyes haunted, then shook her head and continued. "This time, there was no Nakago to save me... and I became no better than they."

The look of pain, shame, and self-loathing on her face was so strong, Tasuki could practically feel it himself. _Taiitsu-kun was right... I don't understand what drives them to this,_ he realized. _And... Itami was even right, a little. I have no right to pass judgment on them._

"Kaen... Soi," he murmured, crouching down to cup her face in his hands, while Chuin looked on in utter disbelief. "What you did was terrible, and I ain't pretendin' that I forgive ya for it just yet. But... you got a chance, now, to change, if ya want to. Ya don't HAVE to be like them. Remember what Nakago taught ya, bastard though he was. Miaka told me about how you told her that Nakago hadn't raped her, after all, so that she could go save Tamahome. So I guess ya gotta have a good heart in there somewhere."

"Miaka..." Kaen blinked. "Yes... I remember that... I was so jealous of her... Tamahome loved her so much... but I couldn't bring myself to destroy it. They had what I never did with Nakago..."

There was such anguish in her voice at the mention of Nakago, Tasuki decided to take pity on her. "After you sacrificed yourself for him... he preserved yer body with his magic, and carried ya around for days. He never let ya out of his sight. I think he cared about ya more than he wanted to realize."

"He... he did?" Some of the anguish faded. "Truly? He truly did?" Then it returned, doubled and more. "But I'm not worthy of him... not now, not like this..."

"So MAKE yerself worthy!" Tasuki snapped. "Change. Do some fuckin' good for a change. Chiri and I need yer help now, much as I hate it. So HELP us, and make a difference!"

Kaen blinked, as if coming from a daze. "I..."

"TASUKI!" Chichiri's voice called from the entrance. "Tasuki, where are you? Are you okay? Tasuki!"

"Oi, Genrou!" Kouji added, his voice sounding somewhat strained.

"Over here!" Tasuki called, then pinned Chuin with a glare. "And don't YOU think of going anywhere, either!"

Chichiri and Kouji appeared at the end of the aisle, looking as if they had run the whole way. Kouji was pale, and kept watching the tessen as if afraid it would burst into flames again.

"Tasuki! Are you okay?" Chichiri flicked his gaze over the two Seiryuu Seishi.

"Yeah, I'm okay now. The fucking bastard tried to use what THESE two," he flicked a contemptuous glance at Chuin, "did to me, to subvert me. Promised me all sorts of shit, but I managed to break his hold. Dunno if he's gonna try again, though."

"Gomen! I should have thought to shield you before you left, but it didn't occur to me na no da!" With a small grunt of concentration, he focused, and a soft red glow settled over them all. "There, no da. Now we're all shielded... he won't be able to even hear this conversation."

"WHO won't?" Kouji demanded. "And what the fuck do THEY have to do with anything?" He snarled at Chuin, who growled back.

"We need their help, no da. And yours, too, Kouji, if you're willing." Chichiri sank down to sit cross-legged, his expression deadly serious. "You're probably not going to believe what I'm about to tell you, but by the time we're finished, no da, you will."

Kouji leaned against the bookcase, as Tasuki was doing. Kaen sniffled once, then sat attentively. Chuin did NOT look happy, but apparently decided to listen quietly, as he also sat down.

"This school... was built to support the power base of a demon no da. That demon feeds off of pain and death, and it's been growing stronger with every 'punishment' the school metes out. Tasuki and I..." he glanced at his lover, who was brooding over his tessen, "called for help, I guess you could say no da. Taiitsu-kun told us that we aren't going to be able to do this alone, no da. And in order for you to help us..." he looked down at the scroll in his hands, "I'm going to have to give you all back your memories na no da."

Chuin's eyes narrowed, and he looked like he wanted to say something, but he kept quiet. Instead, it was Kaen who spoke. "You... can do that?" she whispered. "I... only remember... bits and pieces..."

"Hai, I can do that, thanks to this spell that Taiitsu-kun gave me na no da. But... to be perfectly honest... I don't want to." He sighed. "Kouji I don't mind so much, if he wants me to no da. It will probably make things easier on him and Tasuki, in fact. Demo, the two of you have caused a great deal of pain and suffering na no da... and I'm not certain that I can trust you not to become worse, once your powers have returned no da. Tomo... Chuin, I mean, I'm worried about you in particular."

"Yeah, feather-boy's illusions could cause a LOT of trouble," Tasuki growled.

"F-feather-boy? What, exactly, is THAT supposed to mean?" Chuin demanded.

"Tasuki, don't provoke him, na no da!" Chichiri sighed, then continued. "But, I don't have a choice, na no da. I can only trust that Taiitsu-kun is right, and you WILL help us when you get your memories back no da."

"I will..." Kaen replied, her voice pained. "I... I want to make a difference. If I can help... to atone for some of what I have done... I will."

Chuin shot her an astonished look. "I make no promises," he ground out, but there was already a look of reluctant acceptance on his face.

"Kouji?" Chichiri turned to the last member of the circle. "Taiitsu-kun didn't mention you in particular, but we could use all the help we can get, no da."

"I..." he swallowed hard, and glanced at Tasuki. "If this'll help me understand what the FUCK has been goin' on with you and Genrou, then yeah, I'm in."

"All right then no da. All you have to do, is try to clear your minds, and don't fight the memories as they return na no da. Tasuki, I need you to concentrate on your past memories, okay no da?"

"No problem, Chiri." With a deep breath, Tasuki closed his eyes and concentrated, letting his mind fall into a light trance as Chichiri had taught him. He heard Kaen and Chuin gasp as his symbol appeared on his forearm.

He heard Chichiri begin to read from the scroll, and once again felt the building of power within their little circle. As he focused on his past with Kouji, he vaguely felt his friend grope towards him, clutching at his hand like a lifeline. Tasuki squeezed back, reassuring.

"All that has been, all that once was, all that may be again... remember." Chichiri intoned. "All that you were, all that you knew, all that you may come to be... remember." Kouji's grip tightened painfully, and he heard a sharp gasp from one of the Seiryuu. "All that mattered, all that touched you, all that may shape your being... remember!"

Kaen screamed, as the light flared and pulsed, bringing with it an inexorable tide of memories. He thought he heard Chuin gagging, as Kouji tensed, his nails biting deeply enough to draw blood from Tasuki's hand.

With one last, brilliant flare, the light died away, leaving them facing one another once more. Slowly, Tasuki opened his eyes, looking around.

Chuin scrambled to his feet, and bolted for the nearest wastebasket, where he was noisily and violently ill. Kaen sobbed helplessly into her hands, while Kouji stared at the Suzaku Seishi in wonder.

"Genrou..." his friend murmured, turning wide eyes to him. "Genrou, gomen. I didn't understand... what he meant to you. I didn't understand... what you'd been through, to be together. I remember, now. Forgive me."

"Bakayarou," Tasuki replied fondly. "Yer my best buddy forever, remember? My aniki. Ain't your fault ya didn't remember. I'm just glad ya finally understand."

"Chichiri-han..." Kouji turned to his best friend's lover. "You take good care of him, you understand me?"

Chichiri smiled at him through tears. "Hai. Always. Arigatou, Kouji no da."

"Tasuki-san..." Soi whispered from his other side. He turned to look at her. "Arigatou. For bringing me to my senses. I know I can never make up for what I did to you... but I will try."

Tasuki heaved a sigh. "Aw, fuck it. Don't worry about it, okay? All we gotta worry about now is bustin' this damn demon back ta hell where it belongs."

"What's with him?" Kouji asked, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at the still heaving Chuin.

A sad look passed over Soi's face. "Given what little I know of Tomo's background... I would say he is remembering."

Chichiri rose, and moved to Chuin's side. From his slow, deliberate movements, Tasuki knew his lover had been utterly exhausted by the spells that day, and was now near the end of his reserves.

Chichiri reached out and placed his hand gently on Chuin's shoulder, causing the other man to look up. "Chuin... daijoubu no da."

The other teen shuddered once, and shook his head quickly. "Iie. I... am Tomo. Chuin... is the name that THEY gave me." He spat the word as if it tasted foul in his mouth. There was even more misery and shame in the gaze he turned to Tasuki then had been in Kaen's earlier. "Tasuki-san... If what Kaen did was unforgivable, what I did was more so. I... cannot ask your forgiveness. I only ask... let me help, now, to repair some of the damage I have done. For, if this demon feeds off of pain..." he shuddered again. "I have surely given it a veritable feast."

Tasuki couldn't believe the change that had come over the two bullies. Tomo practically had his head on the floor, he was bowing so low, and Soi wasn't much better. "Aw, fer cryin' out loud..." He lifted his hand to the back of his head, embarrassed at all the attention. "Just give it up, will ya? Help us beat the fuckin' demon, and then don't screw with anybody ELSE, and we'll call it even, okay?"

"You have my word on it." Soi and Tomo spoke with one voice, and Chichiri nodded in satisfaction.

"We should move on him as soon as possible no da... he CAN'T be unaware of what occurred here, even though I was shielding it na no da. That was the second large use of magical energy in one day - he'll be on his guard no da. And he's already attacked Tasuki once..." the monk stumbled and fell to one knee, gasping.

Tasuki was at his side in an instant. "Chichiri! Daijoubu? Is it attackin' ya?" Tessen at the ready, he glanced around wildly for an opponent he could fight.

"Iie... daijoubu, Tasuki no da..." Chichiri wiped a trembling hand across his face, and smiled up at his lover reassuringly. "I'm okay. Those spells just took a lot out of me, na no da. I guess, maybe I need to rest a little, before we attack no da."

Tasuki took in his pale skin, shaking hands and slightly ragged breaths, and agreed. "I'll help ya back to the room..."

"I'll do it, Gen-chan," Kouji interrupted, straightening from against the bookshelf. "You need to fill Soi and Tomo in on what the hell's going down here. I'll catch up from ya later, okay?"

Tasuki nodded, and watched as his friend half-carried his lover out the door, before turning back to his former enemies. "All right you two... here's the way it works."

 

* * *

Kouji returned quickly, carrying the sheets of information Tasuki and Chichiri had collected off the net. The next several hours were spent forming a tentative plan of action.

"Of course you realize," Kouji drawled, leaning back in his chair and propping his feet on the table, "That this plan is gonna go straight to hell when the battle actually starts."

"Duh," Tasuki returned, absently tossing a wadded up paper ball at his friend. Kouji batted it aside with the ease of long practice. "But better to have a plan that gets blown to hell, then no plan at all."

"Agreed," Tomo nodded. "At least we will have some semblance of coherency to start with."

"Then we just gotta kick his... AH! ITAI!" he screamed at the sudden wrenching, clutching pain in his chest. Searing claws of agony scraped along his torso, until he felt as if every inch of his skin must have been flayed away.

"Gen-chan? What? What's wrong?" The other three were out of their seats, Kouji crouched over him with worry.

"AH! Ah, fuck, that hurts!!" His vision was beginning to grey from the sheer physical torture of it, and deep within himself, he could feel his soul screaming in pain. "Chichiri! Fuck, they've got Chichiri!" Staggering to his feet, he bolted for the door, weaving back and forth like a drunk.

"Matte!" Pounding feet behind him, and then Kouji's supporting hand at his arm. "Gen-chan, what's happening?"

"He's fuckin' got Chichiri! He's doin' something AWFUL to him!" Tasuki was nearly in tears from the pain. "His chi's goin' NUTS! We gotta help him!"

Strong arms scooped him up from behind, and he looked up to see Tomo's grim face above him. "It's faster this way, you can barely walk."

"Just go!" Tasuki choked out, clutching at the other teen's shoulders.

The four raced through the halls, to the astonishment of every student in the dorm. Tasuki thought he spotted Naisu staring at them at one point, jaw on the floor as she dropped the book she'd been holding and gaped after them.

The door to their room had been propped open, and Tasuki felt his heart sink as Tomo set him back on his feet in the hallway. The pain had faded somewhat, letting him focus and move through it, but urgency pulsed in him like his heartbeat.

Inside their room, he found the secretary who had guided them on their first day, Kizeki, carefully placing Chichiri's books in a box. "WHAT'RE YOU DOING?" he bellowed, horrified. Of Chichiri himself, there was no sign.

"I am packing Li-san's belongings," Kizeki informed him in a prim voice, eyeing the others crowding the doorway with some distaste. "He has been expelled. You will have the room to yourself, Kou-san."

Tasuki turned white, then green, as the pain clenched once again, then retreated. "W-why?" he stammered. _'Cause of the spells, dumbass... they must have traced it back to him...are they gonna kick me out, too?_

Another wave of pain hit him, and he tried to keep it from showing on his face. _What're they DOING to you, Chiri? Gods!_

"He used his laptop to break into a satellite connection, and gain access to the internet," Kizeki replied. "Not only is it strictly against the rules of the school, it's against the law, as well. He's being returned to the correctional facility, to serve out the rest of his original prison term. After appropriate punishment, of course." There was a feral gleam in her eyes that made Tasuki positively sick to his stomach.

"No..." he nearly whimpered, his knees trembling and threatening to give out on him. Only Kouji and Tomo's quick actions prevented him from collapsing. "No... you can't... not Chiri..." The four teens stared at one another in helpless shock.

_I don't wanna see that look in his eyes... like everyone else here... scared and beaten... submissive... please, Suzaku! Help us!_


	12. Chapter 12

A harsh scream echoed through the room, and the light flared brightly red for a moment...

And suddenly Tasuki was in full control of himself once more, the pain still there, but not affecting him. His symbol blazed as he felt himself being filled with the god's power, and he growled and raised his tessen.

"You BITCH," he snarled, as she took a startled step backwards. "We know what's going on here now, and we AIN'T gonna let ya get away with it anymore! What did Itami promise ya, huh? Power? Wealth? Pleasure? I bet ya got a real kick out of torturin' us, and knowin' ya'd never get caught, didn't ya, ya sicko." He stepped forward, and she retreated once again. "Well, yer pet demonling overstepped his bounds when he took Chichiri. Suzaku ain't happy... and more importantly, I'M FUCKIN' PISSED!"

His flame sparked to life, and she screamed once, burying her face in her hands. Then suddenly, she began to laugh, a horrible, terrible sound.

When she looked up, her eyes were full of darkness... no pupil, no iris, no white, just stark, empty black. Her voice, when she spoke, was impossibly deep and booming. "You seek to overcome me? Your god's power is NOTHING compared to mine! If you will not serve me, then you will DIE!"

A bolt of pure power shot towards them, the air crackling and burning around it. Tasuki flung his tessen up. "LEKKA SHINEN!" he screamed, and his flame raced to meet the bolt. There was a shower of blinding sparks as the two forces met and destroyed each other.

"Hakujin Raiho!" Soi cried, her arm upstretched. Electricity danced along her fingertips, then slashed forward to strike the secretary. She shrieked, her body convulsing, then collapsed to the floor. The smell of burnt flesh wafted through the room.

"Is the bitch dead?" Kouji asked.

"She was only a human, momentarily possessed by the demon," Tomo murmured, moving to check her pulse. He looked up and shook his head. "Her body could not handle the strain of the lightning."

"Good," Tasuki growled. "She was getting' off on the pain Itami was causin', ya could see it in her eyes. Fucker." He spat to one side, then turned to the door, burning determination in his eyes. "C'mon. Let's get Chichiri and blow this joint."

He skidded to an abrupt halt in the hallway, staring wide-eyed at the mass of students blocking the stairs. They stared silently back at him, every one of them with that echoing, empty blackness in their eyes. "Aw, SHIT!"

"We can't kill them!" Kouji cried. "They're just being controlled!"

"And we'll all go to jail fer mass murder, if we kill 'em all. Fuck!" He flattened his tessen and charged, swinging wildly. Kouji and the Seiryuu Seishi followed closely behind him, wading through the mass of students.

They were being controlled, and so they had no will of their own. They could do nothing unless they were specifically told to - which meant that even though many of them were normally better fighters than Tasuki or Kouji, they went down easily before the enraged teens. "Get out'a my fuckin' WAY!" Tasuki hollered, plowing through the last of them to reach the stairs.

There were more students there, crowding the steps to try to reach the four fighters. Tasuki panted, hearing his breath come in short, sharp gasps, and the others didn't sound any better. They were being worn down, slowly... but with nearly two hundred people to plow through, all of whom were out to kill them, and who they didn't want to hurt...

"LEKKA SHINEN!" he flamed the floor at their feet, the blast of hot air not enough to cause severe burns, but enough to sweep many of them off their feet.

Kouji took advantage of the momentary clearing to jump onto the railing, then over it to the level below, bypassing the majority the students. The others quickly followed his example, Tomo nearly breaking his own neck as he tripped on the trailing hem of his kimono, and fought their way through the last few to emerge triumphantly on the first floor. "Go, go, go!" Tasuki shouted, waving the others through the door ahead of him. As they all passed through, he turned and aimed his tessen carefully. "Lekka shinen!" His flame shot out, and welded the doors shut. The mass of students pressed against it, pounding uselessly, but they were trapped in the staircase.

"Good thinkin', buddy!" Kouji slapped him on the back. "C'mon, let's go!"

"Wait!" Tomo bolted for one of the doors in the hallway, fumbling at his sleeve. "Now I know why I've always had that obsession with clams," he muttered, unlocking the door with the key he produced from a hidden pocket. "And dammit, I can't FIGHT in this!"

He stripped his kimono hastily, tearing open a drawer and pulling out a pair of jeans and a pull-over sweater. Yanking them on, he grabbed a small, perfectly formed shell from a shelf on his room. "Okay, NOW I'm ready. Let's go!"

Tasuki shook his head, momentarily amused at the sight of the two most vain of the Seiryuu Seishi, dressed in jeans and baggy sweaters, no make-up, no fancy hairstyles, no nothing. Then the pain pulsed, as if to remind him of the urgency, and his levity vanished.

They tore around the corner, smashing through the door to the principal's office without even bothering to stop to see if it was locked or not. The hidden door was visible, but closed, the sigil etched into the wood burning with a dark flame. And standing before it were Min, Kenji, and Naisu, their eyes empty and black.

Tasuki growled and brandished his tessen, and Naisu pulled out a knife in return. Now that Itami was controlling only three people, instead of hundreds, he apparently had a finer control on their actions.

With a scream, Naisu rushed them, slashing viciously with her knife. Tasuki knew from stories she'd told him that she had been a feared and respected knife-fighter in one of the slummier parts of Tokyo, before being sent to this school. Her actions bore out her stories, as she moved with smooth and expert grace. Tasuki parried desperately with his tessen, the metal ringing as it connected with the long blade of the knife.

Kenji had pulled a long, heavy-looking pipe from somewhere, and Kouji and Tomo were dodging, with nothing to block with. Soi was trapped behind the three men, unable to reach any of their opponents, but that didn't stop her for long... Tasuki smelled burnt ozone beginning to gather.

"Don't hurt them!" He screamed at her, ducking a thrust from Naisu and countering. The older girl skipped adroitly out of the way. "Soi, don't blast them! Goddamit, they're our FRIENDS!"

"What would you have me do, ahou?" she cried back, frustrated, but made no further move to summon her lightning.

Suddenly Min, who had been standing passively by the door, threw back his head and began screaming. Every movable object in the room picked itself up and flung itself straight at the fighters, heedless of whether it struck friend or foe.

"What the FUCK?" Kouji ducked a flying vase, only to have it strike Tomo squarely in the back. The Seiryuu staggered forward, off-balance, then reeled backwards at a blow from Kenji. Kouji propped him up, then swung futiley at his opponent. Meanwhile, the desk was now inching forward, in preparation to smashing them all against the wall.

"He must be a telekinetic!" Soi shouted over the sound of breaking objects. "Probably repressed, and Itami unlocked it!" The heavy wooden desk suddenly flew forward. Tasuki dove into a tumbling roll, making it out of the way just in time. Naisu was pinned against the far wall with a sickening 'crack'.

"This is getting us nowhere!" Tomo cried, and backed off. "Kouji, cover me!" The blue-haired teen complied, with Tasuki sliding in from one side to help.

Tomo flicked the clam shell open with one long nail, letting it rest in his palm as he concentrated. Blue light flashed, and suddenly ropes and coils of strong wire filled the room, wrapping Min and Kenji in their strong grip. However hard the two boys struggled, they could not free themselves from the illusory bindings. Min screamed again, and the windows shattered, showering them all with sharp glass.

"Ah! Fuck!" Tasuki ducked into the shelter of the desk, but the others weren't so lucky. He heard Soi's sharp cry, and a strangled gurgle from Tomo.

He peeked around the corner, to see Tomo collapsed on the floor, bleeding heavily, a large shard of glass buried in his shoulder. Soi bent over him in concern, badly scratched but otherwise unhurt, and Kouji gritted his teeth as he pulled a smaller shard from his own leg. Kouji and Min were completely encased in the coils of wire, their blank eyes staring vacantly into the distance.

"Leave me here..." the golden-eyed teen gasped, his gaze focused on Tasuki. "I have enough strength to hold them, but not much more. I've trapped Min's mind, now, he thinks he's still pelting us, but in actuality, there's nothing left for him to throw."

Tasuki nodded, once, clasping Tomo's unwounded shoulder in a strong grip. "Ya've done yer part. Leave the rest up ta us. Kouji? You okay to keep goin'?"

Kouji grinned at him, obviously in pain, but just as obviously not willing to give in to it. "It'll take more than a scratch like this ta stop me, Gen-chan." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the door, which was now outlined in glowing black. "How do we get through THAT?"

Tasuki growled and shook his head. "I dunno. Chiri didn't' know how to break it either. I... AH!" He gasped and went to one knee as a new wave of pain overswept him. They ALL heard the scream, the terrible sound of a soul tortured beyond bearing, that came from behind the door. "CHICHIRI!"

"Allow me," Soi stepped forward, power arcing between her fingertips once more. Outside the shattered windows, the sky, already stormy, began to boil. Thunder rumbled ominously, and the clouds were repeatedly lit from within by lightning. "HAKUJIN RAIHO!"

Electricity crackled, and slammed into the wooden door. When their eyes cleared, Tasuki was stunned to see it still standing, without a scratch.

"What?" Soi gasped. "Impossible! It's just wood! How could it stand up to a blast like that?"

"Chichiri said it was 'warded'," Tasuki answered. "I guess that means it's protected. Well, if lightning doesn't work, let's see how well it burns." With a fanged grin, his wild gaze not entirely sane as the pain clawed at him from deep within, he aimed his tessen. "LEKKA SHINEN!"

With a roar, the fire sped forth at his calling, swirling around the door. The pentagram on the door flared once, then the fire was abruptly tossed back in their faces. With a muffled curse, Tasuki let the flame dissipate before it could burn his allies. "Well, shit! Now what?" He grimaced as another flash of pain washed over him. The waves were getting weaker now, but that only worried him... it meant that Chichiri's chi was getting weaker, as well.

"Maybe if ya both hit it at the same time?" Kouji suggested, eyeing the darkly pulsing symbol with faint disgust.

Tasuki shrugged. "It's worth a try. Soi?"

"Ready when you are." She lifted a hand, determination glowing on her features.

"Let's do it!" Tasuki swept his tessen forward. "LEKKA SHINEN!"

"HAKUJIN RAIHO!" Soi cried at the same moment, and fire and lightning smashed into the pentagram.

There was a shriek from the door, and for a moment, it looked like their combined efforts were too much for the ward. Then the energy was suddenly flung outwards once more, engulfing Soi, who was marginally closer.

The woman screamed as the flames and electricity ate at her flesh, trying to consume her whole. Cursing, Tasuki began to call off his flame.

"DON'T STOP!" Soi commanded, gritting the words out between clenched teeth. "WE MUST GET THROUGH!"

Startled, Tasuki obeyed, doubling the intensity of his attack. Soi screamed again in agony, but so did the ward. "I WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!" She shrieked, and he felt a foreign power - Sieryuu's power - blast through her.

"HAKUROEN!" he shouted, calling on the strongest attack he had learned. His flame burst forth with renewed vigour, and with a final tortured moan, the door gave way.

"SOI!" Tomo shouted as the woman collapsed to the floor. Badly burnt, her beautiful purple hair singed to an inch's length, she moaned weakly.

Her eyes fluttered open. "Tomo?" she croaked. "Seiryuu-sama, it HURTS."

Tasuki knelt beside her, careful not to touch her, but holding her eyes with his. "You did it, Soi. The door is open. Thank you."

She smiled faintly. "I'm glad. Go save your lover, Tasuki. I will live. I just... need to rest." So saying, her eyes slid shut once more.

"SOI!" Tomo cried again, but Tasuki shook his head.

"She's okay," he muttered, even as a softly glowing blue light surrounded her. "Seiryuu's gonna take care of her, I think. Watch her - we're going on ahead."

"Hai," Tomo managed to haul himself over to her side, where he placed a gentle hand on her already-healing shoulder. Tasuki turned away, leaving the two Seiryuu to take care of themselves, and found Kouji already waiting impatiently just before the blasted door.

"What're ya waitin' for, Genrou? Let's go kick this bastard's ass!" The two best friends bolted through the dark tunnel that the door had hidden.

The tunnel seemed to go on forever, endlessly twisting and turning, and yet Genrou was aware they hadn't taken more than a hundred running steps before they burst into a large, apparently-natural cave. That was impossible, of course... The school was surrounded by flat, open ground. This place must exist in some alternate dimension.

The entire, monstrous cavern was lit by sickly green phosphorescent plants which clung to the walls. A raised dias was at the far end, a massive throne carved from a single block of blackest obsidian rested on it. On the throne sat a man who reminded Tasuki disturbingly of Nakago - the same long, pale golden hair, piercing, cruel blue eyes, and impossibly broad, muscled build. Before the throne was an altar, also carved of obsidian, with bloodgrooves etched into it. Those grooves were filled, the sticky, viscous red substance draining into a bottle which sat at the place where the grooves all ended. On the alter, supplying that sluggish red flow, was Chichiri - stripped, tortured, and worst of all, still conscious, but obviously unable to move.

"Welcome," Itami spoke, and the two teens screamed to hear his voice. It was full of terrible pain and pleasure, ringing in their ears and thrilling along their nerves in a most disconcerting manner. "I never thought you would make it this far. But since you have, please, enjoy your final moments of life. You are watching history being made - with the death of a mage this powerful, a great deal of energy will be released. Enough to free me from my physical binding, and release me into this world as a true god." He began to laugh, and Tasuki fell to his knees, clutching at his head in a futile effort to block the horrible sound.

"I won't let you!" he screamed in return. "I won't let you hurt him! LEKKA SHINEN!" The flame spent itself uselessly on the demon's shield, the edges of it licking over Chichiri's body. Tasuki screamed again at the wave of pain that echoed over the bond between Seishi.

"Won't you? Your pitiful flame is useless against me. Your allies are no better. You cannot possibly reach me, before I can kill him." With a negligent wave, dark lightning crackled over Chichiri's body. Chichiri screamed this time, his back arching off the slab of mirror-finished rock, his voice hoarse from past screams. Tasuki fought back the pain, forcing himself to concentrate through it.

"I... will... not... give... up!" He staggered back to his feet, brandishing the tessen in both hands, the metal fan wavering back and forth with the shaking in his tortured limbs.

"Will you not, then?" Itami arched on eyebrow, seemingly amused. "You amuse me, mortal. And you create endless possibilities for my feeding. Very well, then - a choice. Your lover... or your best friend?"

"Huh?" Tasuki replied intelligently, then staggered forward at a blow from behind. "What the fuck?" He whirled around just in time to duck another kick from Kouji, rolling out of the way. "Kouji! What're you DOIN'?"

Kouji said nothing, only aiming another flurry of kicks and punches his way. Tasuki dodged wildly, blocking with the flat of his tessen only. "Kouji..." His stomach sank as he saw the blank darkness in his friend's eyes.

Itami laughed again, the sound roiling Tasuki's stomach. "All those who have been punished in this room, are mine to control," he chuckled, watching Tasuki try to keep from hurting his friend. "You will not be able to defeat him, without killing him. You have no illusionist to trap him, this time."

Tasuki snarled as he realized he'd been backed up against the cave's wall. "Son of a BITCH!" He fought back, kicking and punching in return. He'd always been a better fighter then Kouji - but only barely. And he was pulling his punches, trying not to hurt his friend too badly, while Kouji was obviously out for his blood.

He ducked a punch and managed to land a kick that sent Kouji flying backwards, giving him some space. Scrambling out of the corner he'd trapped himself in, he was nearly caught by a wild kick. Blocking with his tessen, he cursed as blood sprayed - he'd used the sharp edge without thinking.

Kouji limped backwards, regrouping... then charged in again, the demon-control freeing him from feeling any pain. Tasuki found himself pushed up against the wall once more, unable to retaliate without injuring him further. _I don't want to hurt him..._

The air whooshed out of his lungs as Kouji landed a gut punch, and his vision greyed. He heard Chichiri scream once more, and felt the vibration in his soul that meant a Suzaku Shichiseishi was nearing the end of his life. "GODDAMMIT!"

Kouji swung for his temple, his demon-born strength more than enough to crush his friend's skull, and Tasuki knew his decision was already made. _Kouji... buddy, forgive me... but I can't live without him._ "LEKKA SHINEN!"

Tears streaked his face as Kouji screamed, writhing within the flames. He took a step forward, then another, and another, as Kouji backed away. The smell of burnt flesh invaded his nostrils, and for a moment he feared he would lose control and be sick, but he held on.

Finally, finally, Kouji collapsed, and Tasuki dropped the tessen with a sob, falling to his knees beside his friend. "Kouji... Kouji... gods, forgive me, buddy! I had no choice!"

Kouji slitted his eyes open, and Tasuki cried harder to see the sense within them. Itami had released his friend, leaving him to die in pain, knowing it was at the hands of his best friend. For the first time, he began to truly understand the pain of Chichiri's past.

"Gen-chan... iie, Tasuki..." he croaked, reaching one charred hand out to cover Tasuki's own. "I forgive ya, buddy... for everything. Blast the bastard back ta hell, Tasuki. For me." His eyes slid closed once more.

Tasuki threw back his head and howled in anguish, as Itami laughed from his throne. "How very delicious! You feed me so very well, my flame-hearted one. Are you certain you will not join me? What a pair we would make!" He laughed again, reveling in the pain and suffering he had wrought. "Such a pity my lord Tenkou could not be here... he would find the pain of your heart a delightful ambrosia, I'm sure!"

"You goddamn son of a bitch!" Tasuki swore, grabbing for his tessen and scrambling to his feet once more. "You mother-fucking BASTARD! I'm gonna strangle you with your own goddamn fucking BALLS!"

Itami smirked at him, infuriating him further. On the altar, Chichiri panted, eyes closed in pain, his body wracked with constant shudders. Eyes ablaze, Tasuki stalked forward.

"You would join him in death? How very romantic. Chasing each other's souls through the universes, finding one another once more, only to die together in a burst of glorious agony. Come forward, then, and feed me!"

Tasuki snarled, and charged. And with every step he took, he felt new power rushing through him.

 _Min. Kenji. Naisu._ They appeared before him as if in a vision, hands outstretched, lending him their strength. Itami's eyes widened, shocked.

 _Kouji._ He could feel his best friend's spirit, flooding him with impossible power. Itami's hands moved frantically, summoning more sheilds to protect himself and his intended sacrifice.

 _Tomo. Soi._ Impossibly, ignoring all the laws that govered the Seishi and their gods, he felt two new symbols spring to life on his body, pulsing with the power of the Blue Dragon. The demon lord screamed a denial, summoning his magic as Tasuki burst through the first of his shields.

 _Suzaku._ With an echoing shriek, he felt as if huge wings wrapped around him, shrouding him from the mage-bolts a now-frantic Itami threw at him. The power of the Phoenix enveloped him.

"CHICHIRI!" Crashing through the last of the barriers with an audible snap, Tasuki thrust his tessen forward, and felt more than heard the shattering of the bottle at Chichiri's feet. "LEKKA SHINEN!"

Itami screamed in mortal agony as he staggered back, his body wreathed in flames. "IMPOSSIBLE!" he cried. "I cannot be beaten by the likes of you!"

"Burn, fucker," Tasuki answered, slumping wearily to the ground as he felt all that massive energy drain from him. "You're toast."

The demonling gave one last, shrieking cry, as his body literally vaporized into ash. Tasuki paused, waiting for the cave to start collapsing, but for once, luck seemed to be with him. The room showed no signs of deterioration with the demon's death, nor did the exit look like it was going to vanish on them. With a groan, he staggered to Chichiri's side.

His soul mate blinked at him, as if coming out from a daze. "Tasuki? What... what happened?"

Tasuki clasped the wounded Seishi to him in a loving embrace. "He's dead. He's dead, and we made it, Chiri. We're together again, and NOTHING is gonna come between us!"

A gentle touch on the back of his neck reassured him. "Hai. Together forever, koi. Itsumo. Zutto. Ai shiteru."


	13. Chapter 13

Tasuki lounged on the couch in their new apartment, watching the sidewalk outside the window like a hawk. It still made him a little nervous any time Chichiri left his sight, but the feeling was slowly fading, much like the memories of the horrors they had endured at Kaishin Gakkou.

He still couldn't believe how quickly the entire fiasco had been glossed over. Even the media hadn't really paid much attention to it. _Just goes to show you how well shit like that can get covered up, when there're important people who stand to lose somethin'_ , he reflected wryly. A lot of very powerful and influential politicians had backed Kaishin Gakkou, and they would do anything to keep the public from finding out about the torture and abuse that had gone on there.

Though, he still wondered what the paramedics and other emergency personnel had thought, upon reaching the school. _Some well-meaning neighbour gives a call when they see all the fire from my tessen, and Soi's lightning bolts hittin' the place over and over. And what do they find? Nearly every student in the school stuck behind welded-shut stair doors, five more collapsed, badly injured or hysterical, in the principal's office, and then me hauling in Chiri and Kouji from a doorway that CAN NOT be there, and that disappears behind us._

Amazingly, there had been very few injuries. There were bruises and broken bones on many of the students who'd been trapped in the stairwell; Naisu had picked up three broken ribs and a punctured lung when the desk slammed her into the wall, though Min and Kenji had suffered only mental trauma.

And most miraculous of all, the only death had been that of the secretary, Kizeki. Soi and Kouji, who both should have been burned past recognizing, had impossibly been restored. Both were suffering from first degree burns over most of their bodies, bordering on second and even third degree in some places, but the doctors said there would be little permanent scarring. Suzaku and Seiryuu had apparently protected them both from any fatal harm.

As for the mental damage... all of the mind-controlled students had regained their full memories when Itami died. Some of them would most likely never recover completely, and they were making the head-shrinkers in the city very, very rich. All the more reason for the politicians to cover it up - some of their tales were truly horrific. Soi and Tomo had taken refuge in one another - Tomo hadn't left his friend's side since he'd awoken in the hospital nearly a month ago. He'd made use of his Shin to make it appear as if he weren't there during non-visitor hours - a use of his powers that Chichiri and Tasuki heartily approved of. The two Seiryuu Seishi could have no better medicine then each other.

There was a flash of red light, then Chichiri stood in the middle of the apartment, grinning widely. "DA!" he exclaimed, his warm brown eye laughing at Tasuki's startlement.

"OI!" Tasuki protested. "How many times I gotta tell ya not ta DO that, Chiri? If anybody ever SEES you..."

"Daijoubu Tasuki no da. Nobody saw me no da, and I don't do it THAT often! But I wanted to get home quickly, no da!"

"How'd the exam go?"

"I'm in for sure, na no da! They took one look at my test scores, and practically BEGGED me to go to their university no da!" The ex-monk wandered over to the kitchen counter, where he picked up the cordless phone and tossed it to Tasuki. "But that's not what I wanted to tell you, no da! Guess whose number I found?"

Tasuki reached out and took the slip of paper his lover offered, and his eyes widened as he read. "Hot DAMN! Grab the phone in the kitchen, and let's call her!" Chichiri did so, listening as Tasuki punched in the numbers on the paper.

The phone rang twice, before it was picked up and a sweet soprano trilled, "Hai, moshi moshi! Sukinami residence."

"Hisashiburi, Miaka-chan!" they chorused together, laughing. "Guess who?"


End file.
